Elsa's Ambition
by Shortchannel4
Summary: Elsa's ambitions extend far beyond the Nordic lands. Wanting to experience the world and all it's riches that she hid away from all her life. AU, ElsaxMany (including Elsanna, KristaElsa among others)
1. The Snow Queen and the Sun Princess

"Here it is," as Elsa stepped in, letting her eyes readjust to the light, she took in the sights before her. "So, this that dreadful woman's hidden tower," she said as she walked into the hidden valley and onto the fertile ground. As her boots threaded lightly, her nose was assaulted by all the different flowers in the area. She sneezed lightly, rubbing her nose with annoyance. "Too many flowers." The monarch took another heavy step, eyeing at the tower at the distance. "That poor girl…eighteen years with no other human contact." She muttered to herself as she began to trek towards the tower, intent on accomplishing her goal. And Empress Elsa always has hers, one way or another.

She reached the building quickly, standing before the tall structure. Elsa eyed it carefully and noted its appearance. Tall and white, with a layer of green moss covering it. There was no door, just like that woman had told her. "Am I really going to do this?" She asked herself, rubbing her cold hand on her temple. "The things I do for my people…" She cleared her throat and called out, in a sing song voice, "Rapunzel!"

Elsa waited for one minute. There was no answer.

"Rapunzel, please, I'm not here to hurt you." The girl's apprehension, in Elsa's mind, was totally understandable. A stranger was asking a girl that's had no real human contact, kidnapper notwithstanding, to let her in her home. Unfortunately, Elsa had little patience for such matters. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair, or I will destroy this tower and all its stairs." She said, in her most haughty voice. "You have half a minute to comply," she added.

"Wait!" A voice called from inside the tower, through the lone window. "Just…wait." Elsa placed a hand on her hip and smiled, a threat of force almost always seemed to work in most situations. Suddenly a long golden mop of hair was flung from the window, hanging before the queen.

"So…it's true," Elsa said as she reached her hand out for the hair. She hesitated for a moment, pulling back in nervousness, but she eventually touched it. "Soft," she mused, letting both of her hands run through the hair, pulling it into her face and rubbing it against her cold cheek. But that was enough dawdling, she had a mission and she was going to accomplish it. She grabbed the hair firmly, twisting her legs around it.

Elsa's body was pulled up by the hair and she was all but calm at this. Rapunzel could try to drop her as she was halfway up, though any attempt at Elsa's life would be fruitless. Still, the girl in the tower tried no trickery and pulled Elsa up completely to the window. Grabbing firmly on the window frame, Elsa pushed her body through and landed inside.

She finally came face to face with the source of the hair, a frightened girl perhaps not much younger than her. "You have a pretty dress Rapunzel, but do you always walk around barefoot?" Elsa said as she eyed the girl's pink dress.

"S-stay, stay back!" Rapunzel said nervously, backing away from Elsa and holding a frying pan towards her.

"Oh, put that down before you hurt yourself." Elsa rolled her eyes as she stepped closer.

"I said stay back!" A sudden freeze took hold of the pan and her immediate reaction was to drop it. She saw Elsa wave her hands as that happened. "You! What…"

"Let's talk like civilized adults shall we?" Elsa's hand beckoned towards the chairs and table nearby. Rapunzel, not having much of a choice and not willing to anger a stranger with magical powers, walked over and sat down. Elsa sat opposite, crossing her legs and giving the girl a coy smile.

"Who…who are you?" the scared girl asked. Elsa ignored the girl momentarily and examined the reach of her hair, a river of blonde all over the floor. That has to be around twenty meters, Elsa thought. Despite that, it was pretty neat considering the ways it got used.

"My name…doesn't matter right now dear," Elsa said, eyes darting back to the girl. "We need to talk about you."

"Me? Wait, where's Gothel, where's my mother?" Elsa grit her teeth in nervousness, the image of Gothel still in her mind.

"Your mother…yes, Let me start from the beginning."

* * *

"Allow me to introduce her Imperial Majesty Elsa, Empress of the Scandinavia, Queen of Arendelle, Svealand and the Southern Isles; High Queen of Cimbria, who rules over his Majesty, Christian the Seventh." King Vincent gulped hard, tightening his hand around his wife's, as he got up from his throne. The criers moved to the side, making way for the Empress in all her glory. Elsa's name didn't send as much fear as it did outside of Corona and neighboring countries, for they had yet to live near the Snow Queen. With all of Norse lands under her thumb, people thought she would be content with the lands of her ancestors. But her presence in this court proved otherwise.

King Vincent III and Queen Agnes, the monarchs of the Kingdom of Corona, took in the woman's radiance as she approached them. She was undeniably beautiful, bards had been singing songs of her since the past year, but they did her no justice. She adorned her platinum blonde hair in a short style, with one spicy lock that resembled a crown, with an actual tiara adorning her head. Her striking blue eyes looked at them with a childlike curiosity, which did not distill their unease.

"Empress Elsa…" the King began as Elsa approached their thrones. "…it is a pleasure to have you in our kingdom." They both gave her a slight bow; she may not be their empress, but she was one still.

"And I thank you for your warm welcome," she said in full Coronian, but her northern accent slipping. Elsa momentarily looked at the Coronian flag, noticing the sun emblem on it. She always thought of unsual it was that these people chose to have the sun as their symbol considering it was still a temperate region. Elsa waved her hand, dismissing her criers and personal guard.

"Please join us for tea. Have you already had your breakfast?" the Queen asked almost mother like, catching Elsa off guard. It was around ten o' clock, a good time for tea as any.

"Yes, that would be lovely."

"Well…I'm not going to waste anyone's time here. So, I'll get straight to the point." Steam left Elsa's mouth as she talked, an effect from drinking hot tea and her icy physiology. It always unnerved people as she did, something she took pleasure in. The King and Queen's faces at that moment bought Elsa's smile even higher. "I'm here to annex Corona into my empire." The dryness and seriousness of her claim had the King almost believe it for it moment, before he shook his head in anger. The Queen gasped, but looked none too surprised.

"You…would dare?" Vincent stood, defiantly, nearly knocking the tea cups over.

"Vincent please!" The Queen took her husband's arm, pleading at him with bright green eyes. "Empress Elsa…" Agnes managed to pull her husband back down, though he still glared at Elsa, she turned her eyes towards Agnes. "All of Europe fears you, do you really want to prove to them…?"

"That I'm nothing but an evil sorceress that want to rule the entire world, dominating it with her ice powers?" Elsa formed a snowball in her hand, keeping it afloat for them to see. "That's an opinion…" She dissipated the snowball, her earlier grimace disappearing, being replaced with a gloomy look in her face. "But here's a fact: You have no heir."

"And what of it?!" The King slammed his fist on the table, his gaze might have scared Elsa once, but nothing this man could do could ever hurt her. Not in that room, and certainty not them.

"When you both die, what's going to happen? Give it to some far off cousin? A foreign monarch? You'll let Corona fall to Jacobeans? Centuries from now, people will question your choices and ask where was King Vincent's wisdom?" Elsa took a pause as she saw the queen nearly break down, she had greatly upset them. Their daughter had been taken from them nearly two decades earlier…she would be around Anna's age now. She couldn't imagine how she would be if she lost Anna. "Look…" Elsa was about to say something comforting, but the queen spoke up and took this conversation in another direction altogether.

"Our daughter is alive!"

"Agnes!" The King turned to his wife, touching her shoulder. "Don't…"

"No, you claim we have no heir. But that's not true…" She closed her eyes, looking down as her grip on Vincent's hand tightened. "Our daughter is alive…I can feel that she is and every year we light a lantern on her birthday, the whole city joins us, they cry for their princess to return." Elsa had no response to that, she knew that these two had been begging everyone across the continent to find their lost princess, but most thought it a fruitless endeavor.

"How do you know?" Elsa finally asked.

"In my heart…I know this to be true." The queen stood up, her eyes nearly tearing and walked across the room. Placing her hand on the stained glass window she said "What's worse is that somehow, I feel like she's so near."

Elsa put her head down. "Damn it…" She said, contemplating her moves and finding a way to get what she wants without feeling like shit afterwards. "If…" She began saying, closing and opening her eyes before speaking again "If…I were to find your daughter." The royal couple turned their heads toward her as she said this. "If I were to bring the princess back to you."

"We would give our kingdom. Our kingdom and all our riches just to be with her!" Agnes said as the King stood silent. He did not speak, but he silently agreed with her.

"A pledge of allegiance and vassalage is all I desire."

"You would really?"

"Yes. Do not question my motives, just my actions." Elsa stood and approached the couple. "I promise you…" She held both their hands. "I will do everything in my power to find her."

The King's eyes looked to the floor, as if remembering something, before looking back at the young woman. "I was at Agdar and Idunn's funeral," he said, invoking the names of Elsa's long dead parents. "I don't know if you remember."

"I…don't…those days were like a haze to me," Elsa walked away, not wanting them to see any hint of weakness in her face.

"He was a close friend, we took hunting trips together and used to say that we would marry our children. Then we all had daughters…" he said with a sad smile. "They never found the shipwreck, did they?"

"No," Elsa opened the door to their private dining room, looking back at the monarchs as she took her leave "Now, if you don't mind, I have a missing princess to find."

Elsa walked briskly back to the guest rooms they had assigned her crew that she brought from the ship. "Kristoff!" she shouted down the halls, not wanting to knock on every door. The man in question poked his head out of room, looking at his liege with annoyance. "Pack some travel gear, we're going for a long walk." As she waited for Kristoff, several of the palace guards came running down the hall in a hurry. "Hey what's going on?" She stopped a guard, the man looking at Elsa nervously.

"Someone stole the tiara of the Princess!" he said and then ran off again.

"What was that? Why is everyone freaking out?" Kristoff came out of his room with a large backpack, looking curiously at the running guards. The gears in Elsa's mind turned, the princess' tiara was stolen? That couldn't be a coincidence.

"Our first clue. We find this thief, we find the Princess."

* * *

"You're not telling me what I think you're telling me," Rapunzel interrupted Elsa again, trying to absorb all this information. "No…I'm just a girl that lives here in a tower…I'm not…"

"You are." Elsa's stared at the young woman. She was very beautiful, in spite of her unusually long hair, with gorgeous, innocent green eyes. Rapunzel didn't say much, her hands were squeezing the fabric of her skirt hard as she grit her teeth.

"What…happened to my mother?" Elsa's lips pulled back and she looked away from the princess.

"Yes, your mother…"

* * *

"How are we going to find the thief? He already outran the palace guards," Kristoff questioned, as his monarch walked beside him. Elsa's head was always turning, taking in everything around her. They had only left the city an hour earlier, walking along the beaten path into the forests outside. "Elsa!"

"I am investigating!" she answered, still not looking at the annoyed man.

"How did I end up here again?" he mused, long enough for her to hear it.

"You saved my kingdom."

"Yes, and then I got forced into servitude by you." Kristoff kicked a small rock out of the way, his heavy fur boots stomping loudly.

"I knighted you, Sir Kristoff," she said with emphasis at the title. She finally looked back at her largely built friend, giving him a mischievous smile. "With some protests from conservatives…" Elsa picked up a small flower on the road, sniffing it as she continued, with a mocking tone "You can't make a Lappish man your knight! You'll invite those tribals to your court?" She made a face as she said this, exaggerating a masculine voice. "And then I said…" she added, with the best sing song voice she could muster "Well I could strip you of your titles if you disagree." Even Kristoff laughed at how merciless she could be. "So after that, nobody ever said anything about you again. At least not to my face….'choo!" she said with a sneeze, Kristoff snickering at how cute it sounded.

"This weather is not agreeing with us," he said, noting his own sweat.

"And this is temperate, I can't imagine what would happen if we stepped foot in Saint Dominique or something." She saw herself on a tropical island, sitting on a beach, with dark skinned beauties attending to her every need. _I can't wait to rule the world_, as she thought this, Kristoff bumped her in the shoulder.

"Tone down the ice queen, someone's coming," he whispered, and true enough a figure was approaching them from the opposite direction. Elsa tightened her hood, grabbing on to Kristoff's arm. Looking like a wayward couple, Elsa peeked out of the corner of her eye at the woman approaching them.

Despite the black cloak on the stranger, Elsa could see the red dress underneath. _That's a rather archaic dress…I like it_, she thought to herself. "Good day," Elsa greeted as they passed each other.

"Good day," the woman replied back. As Elsa continued walking, she suddenly felt something behind her, stopping her dead in her tracks. She grabbed her chest, letting go of Kristoff's arm.

"Hey, are you ok?" Kristoff quickly grab her arm thinking she was about to fall, but that was not the case. Elsa felt a coldness in that woman's heart, a coldness devoid of love and warmness that even the most serious of individuals didn't lack. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, would be usurper to her throne, had the same kind of heart. She turned back to the woman, readying herself for action.

"Madame," Elsa shouted, the woman turning to look back at her. "You know…" Elsa took a couple of steps forward, the woman getting tense as she did. "…it's not safe for a lady to walk alone." Elsa smiled, and that was the final straw. The woman took off, running through the woods and away from them. "Go get her," she ordered.

Kristoff sighed, dropping his pack and taking off after her.

* * *

Gothel groaned as her eyes opened slowly. She had an unusual dream where two Scandinavians were chasing her across the woods. But when she tried to move, she couldn't, hearing only the sound of rope tightening. Her body was pressed against a tree, with several lengths of ropes tied around her. "Not a dream…"

"Good day, again." In front of Gothel was said crazy Scandinavian woman, sitting on a chair…made of ice.

"Wait a minute…" she thought. As she took in every detail of the woman's physical appearance, she was filled with even more dread than before. "You're…Elsa."

"Empress Elsa." She gave a small mocking bow. "At your service."

"What…what are you doing here? And what do you want with me?" As Gothel said this, Kristoff appeared, leaning on another tree nearby.

"Let me first remind you what's happening here. We are here alone, in the woods, with a woman who can bring entire countries to her knees with just her powers." Elsa formed two ice balls in her hand, smiling madly at Gothel. "So I suggest you choose your next words carefully." Elsa crossed her legs, leaning back in her chair as the ice balls disappearing. "Name," The queen commanded.

"G-Gothel." She muttered.

"What do you do then, Gothel?" Elsa asked, putting her hand under her chin.

"Botanist, alchemist….things like that." Elsa could tell when people are lying, she had too if she was to rule and have court. Gothel wasn't lying, but she was hiding something, something big.

"That's a pretty dress Gothel," Elsa once again noted the woman's unusual attire. She finally connected the dots on why Gothel's dress stood out.

"Thank you…your highness."

"So…" Elsa said staring at her nails as Kristoff crossed his arms, trying to appear as thuggish as he could. "Where's the princess?" Gothel's eyes widened, her heart raced as her nails scratched the bark of the tree.

"W-what princess?" she asked, her lies being obvious even to Kristoff. Elsa stood up, smiling, and walked slowly to the bound woman.

"You're wearing a fifteenth century Gothic dress. You try to hide it, but you talk like you're misplaced in time." Elsa's threatening eyes scanned the woman down. "And I can smell the stench of magic on you! The princess was touched by a power from the heavens, the power to heal and renew. Everything is pointing to you as the culprit! Tell me where the princess is now, witch!"

"I'm not telling you anything," Gothel answered back, meeting Elsa's icy glare with her own. "And if I die, you will never see her!"

"Oh, my dear…" Elsa cupped the older woman's cheeks and bit on her own lips. "I have no intention of letting you die. After we're done here, I'm taking you back to Arendelle and making you one of my personal maids. You'll come to enjoy that role eventually…" Elsa's face came dangerously close to hers and Gothel could feel the woman's cold breath on her cheeks. "I'm not going to kill you, but you're going to be begging for death if you don't cooperate." Elsa backed off and touched several points of the tree, leaving a small glowing blue light in each spot she touched.

Elsa sat back on her chair and smiled. The blue points around Gothel began to expand, as lines of ice began to form and rupture into the tree, making a cracking noise as it did. It drew near her body, coming closer. "I heard frostbite costs people fingers and limbs. I wouldn't know though." The ice began to form near Gothel's limbs and she could feel the extreme cold they were emitting. "Tick tock."

* * *

"Gothel, you're not looking too good." Elsa said snidely, after having subjected the woman to hours of torture. _As they say, the cold can crush a person's spirit and body,_ were Elsa's thoughts. Gothel was barely conscious, still tied to the tree and looking to her side with groggy eyes. She had given Elsa a lot of information, all except the girl's location. "Seriously, you look like you've aged twenty years." Elsa stared at her own hands. "Was that me?"

"Rapunzel…" Gothel said weakly.

"What?"

"I'm going to die…if I don't get to Rapunzel." She said again, her voice getting ever weaker.

"You'll show me where she is?" Elsa approached her as she gave a nod to Kristoff, ordering him to untie her.

"Yes, just please…get me to her…let me live." As she said this, her hair began to grey even more right before Elsa's eyes. Kristoff finished untying her and carried her in his arms. "That way…" She pointed weakly, and they all immediately began running as Gothel gave them instructions with her dying voice.

"Elsa!" Kristoff shouted, showing her the woman in his arms.

"God…" Gothel in a manner of minutes had gotten old and decrepit, her hair completely grey and skin full of wrinkles.

"We…we're close." She lifted her trembling hand and pointed to a mossy wall. "Through…there." Elsa and Kristoff looked at each other and approached the wall.

"Elsa…" Kristoff called again. "Look…" In his hands he held Gothel's dress and cloak, with no one inside. "She's gone." He said lowly as he dropped the fabric, stepping back and wiping of the dust on his hands and arms. Elsa stared at the empty clothes with a deadpan expression while Kristoff was still wiping what remained of the woman from his body.

"Not what I wanted…" She said as she picked up the red dress.

"That was horrifying." Kristoff came near her, picking up Gothel's black cloak. They both looked at each other solemnly, before looking away.

"Yes it was…let's find the princ..." Before she could finish her sentence, she heard footsteps approaching. Harried, desperate footsteps.

A man carrying a satchel came into view, not noticing Elsa and Kristoff before him. The empress shot off some magic, creating a small piece of ice on the ground for the man to trip on. He fell face first, the satchel landing on Elsa's feet and spilling its content. "Well well…" She said, picking up the crown of the princess. "We found the crown thief. Not as related to the princess as I had thought, but still…" Before Flynn Rider, gentlemen thief extraordinaire, could scramble away, Kristoff pulled him up on his feet rather forcefully. "Hello Flynn Rider…Or should I say Eugene Fitzherbert."

"E-Elsa? Empress Elsa? How do you know my name?" The man looked for any escape route, but with Snow Queen present, that was simply not possible.

"You're wanted in Arendelle as well and I actually do my research." She approached the man and caressed his cheek, stroking his scruffy goatee softly. Eugene would be thrilled at this woman making advances at him, if it wasn't so terrifying. Kristoff merely rolled his eyes at this. "It's so wonderful that you're the thief, I've been wanting to recruit you for a while."

"Recruit me?"

"Yes, look at your skills. You stole the prime jewel of Corona! That's no small feat. Plus didn't you steal the King of Maldonia's beard?"

"Well, a bit of an exaggeration." Eugene ran his fingers through his short brown hair, giving Elsa a smile.

"A French marshal's cane?"

"His walking stick actually." He corrected.

"I need people with your skills, Mr. Fitzherbert, skills wasted on petty thievery." Elsa stepped back, holding the crown to her chest.

"That's quite the offer, your um…majesty. But I don't…" The sound of hooves then reached their ears, a large white horse approaching them, alone and with no rider. He immediately walked in front of Eugene, staring at him menacingly.

"Or you know…" Elsa said, her eyes winking at the horse. "The Coronians can hang you." The horse smiled at the mention of a hanging.

"I accept your offer graciously and hope to be of great use to you, o' mighty Empress." He gave her a bow.

"Fantastic! I can't let you keep this though…I need to have the King and Queen happy. They're more mendable to my will that way," she said, hanging the crown from her belt and turning her attention to the glaring horse. "Aren't you the guard captain's horse? Relax, he's with me now." She pet the large steed on his mane, immediately calming the animal down. "Ah, you're weak to girls aren't you?" Elsa saw his name engraved on his neck harness. "…Maximus. Well, Maximus, you're about to come back with something much better than the crown. The real treasure this kingdom has been looking for." The horse's eyes lit up; he knew exactly what Elsa was talking about.

The dreaded Snow Queen looked at the mossy wall, turning her attention back to her task at hand. "I'll be back soon with the princess. Everybody stay here." She looked at Kristoff, whom gave her a concerned look. "I'll be fine," she reached the moss, parting it and stepping through it, leaving the men and Maximus behind.

"So…" Eugene said, etching closer to Kristoff. "Empress Elsa, huh?" Kristoff gave him a dismissive look, before turning his head away. "Cold as ice."

* * *

"You…you killed her." Rapunzel stood up, backing away from Elsa.

"No, she tried to extend her life unnaturally. I tried to save her," and she meant every word, she would have rather Gothel didn't die. Even if she would have spent the next few years chained to one of Elsa's bedchambers.

"You let my mother die!" Rapunzel screamed, tears flowing as she threw things at the snow queen. Elsa tilted her head to avoid the thrown objects, refraining from attacking her back.

"She's not your mother. She's was a centuries old woman who refused to die so she stole a child from her REAL parents! And they have been in pain since then, as is the rest of YOUR Kingdom, princess!" Elsa stood up and froze the last object she threw, shattering when it hit the floor. "And she didn't love you…"

"Liar!"

"I can sense the coldness of people's hearts Rapunzel, and hers was nothing but ice. Devoid of any warmness. She had no love for anyone, least of all you," she walked slowly towards Rapunzel. "And to keep you here all to herself was wrong. Only the worst of people do that Rapunzel." Elsa strode in and gently removed the pan from the princess' hand as her other intertwined with the girl's fingers. Rapunzel, without herself realizing this, found her head resting on the Empress' bosom. Elsa felt tears running down her dress, becoming frozen droplets when they reached the floor. "I loved her," she said between her cries.

"I know you did, there is great warmness in your heart. There are people out there that could use your love," Elsa began to realize however that extent of Rapunzel's powers, and the damage if it were to fall in the wrong hands. She formed an icy dagger in her hand, reaching for the girl's back. "It's ok…" She said, her voice soothing Rapunzel. "It's ok," And then she sliced, the girl immediately falling back and onto the floor. Rapunzel's hair quickly began to lose its golden color, being replaced with a lovely brown tint, similar to her real mother's.

"What did you do?" she screeched, horrified.

"Making sure no one ever hurts you again," she said, picking the girl from the floor. Rapunzel reached back onto her head, looking at Elsa's side and then scrambling towards the mirror. "I think this look suits you more," Elsa mused as Rapunzel stared at herself in the mirror.

"My hair…" Rapunzel grimaced, looking at the long twenty meter length of mane, now chopped and separated from her forever. "I…feel so much lighter now."

"Yes, when I cut off my hair I enjoyed the feeling too." Elsa remembered, but chose not to delve into those memories at that time. "Rapunzel, it's time to go. It's time to meet your real parents," she said, but the girl paid no attention to Elsa, her eyes tearing again.

"Gothel…" she cried."I can't just leave this place. This has been my home for all my life. Even if you're right and I'm the princess," she paused, breathing heavily. "I need some time and…"

Elsa sighed, wagging her finger as ice began to form around Rapunzel. "Sorry, I'm in a hurry." Rapunzel screamed as ropes made of ice constricted around her, tripping the poor girl on the floor. Before she could utter a word, the snow queen created a cloth made of ice, gagging the princess' mouth. Elsa moved and picked the princess up, straining herself as she placed her arm around the girl's waist. They both moved to the window, Rapunzel screaming loudly through her gag, but not actively resisting. "Are you ready?" Rapunzel shook her head as Elsa stretched her free hand out. A massive torrent of ice shot out from her fingers, creating a slope from the window and downwards. "Let's go!" And as Elsa jumped, Rapunzel looked back at her tower while they slid down, knowing her old life was over.

* * *

**A/N: Reviews are appreciated and welcomed. **

**Betaread by burningfox and penverswords.**


	2. The Empress' Knight

One of the most annoying things Elsa had Kristoff do was study; when he was not at her side, the Empress expected him to be reading something. She had even forced him to learn how to speak French. _When am I ever going to speak French? _He thought. Still, some of the things he assigned her were interesting reads.

_The fall of Queen Grimhilde _by Prince Florian of Bohemia was what Elsa currently had him read. But Kristoff called this historical event by another name, _a girl and seven dwarves remove craziness from the throne. _The trolls sometimes mentioned dwarves in their tales and there hasn't been official dwarf sightings since that incident. "_They hide in their mountains, maybe one day they'll get sober enough to venture out again_," was what Pabbie had told Kristoff once.

This event took place a few centuries earlier in the now defunct Kingdom of Hanau, a small state that belonged to the mess that was the Holy Roman Empire. King Leopold's wife had passed, leaving him a widower with an only daughter, the aptly named Snow White. He then remarried a "sorceress" of apparent high birth, named Grimhilde. _Who marries someone named Grimhilde? She has Grim in her name! _Kristoff thought while turning the page. _She must have been quite th-ohhh…now I can see why, _his eyes went wide as he stared at the portrait of the "evil queen". Because she had a black balaclava covering the rest of her head, with her crown adorning the top, there was great detail in her face. The illustration was in pencil, no colors, except for the eyes and lips. They were luscious, thick lips meant to be shared with another mouth. And her eyes were strikingly green, beautiful, but it seemed like they were glaring at him.

The artist had left her signature at the bottom right of the page, and it read _Snow_. The author's wife, Princess Snow White herself had penciled this drawing of her stepmother. Even after the attempted murders, first with the huntsman and then the iconic cursed apple, she'd made a flattering image of the woman who made her life miserable. The book further states, with first hand accounts and records to prove it, that she was given a funeral despite her unpopularity. Snow White was clearly the bigger person in this story. _I was raised by a loving family, I can't imagine what was going through Snow White's head. _Kristoff's eyes darted from the book and onto the sad girl sitting on a chair against the wall. _But I bet she can._

Rapunzel had her hands on her lap, her fingers grabbing the hem of her skirt, awaiting anxiously. Even though Gothel's intentions and actions were none to benign, it was obvious the girl still felt for her. All in one day, the only person she knew died and she was ripped away from her home. There was no way she was ok. Kristoff wanted to say something comforting, but he couldn't speak Coronian.

"Rapunzel," Elsa said, entering their little waiting room after meeting with the monarchs. "They're ready for you."

The girl got up, brushing off her skirt and walked nervously towards Elsa. She stopped at the door, looking at the Empress with apprehension. "Everything is going to be alright. Now go, your real parents await," Elsa assured her, Rapunzel looked away, taking a deep breath before walking in the room and closing the door behind her with a click.

"So…" Kristoff said as he got up, holding the book under his shoulder. "What happens now?"

Elsa's eyes looked worried for a moment, before they resumed their usual confident look. "Now we wait." She smiled at him and they both began to walk to their guest chambers. "Where's Eugene?" she asked.

"In the ship, I told the guards to hide him till we leave," Then Kristoff's thoughts went back to the book, specifically on Snow White. "I've been reading that book you gave me. Was it one of Snow White's sons that became the Holy Roman Emperor?" He asked as Elsa tried to remember her German history.

"Yes, that would be Mathias II the Bold, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. Since he was a grandson of a Bohemian King and the empire was an elective monarchy, he was chosen by the nobles on account of merit," she explained. "Mathias loved to paint portraits of his dear mother, and one of them is my possession."

"Oh you mean in your fan girl room?" Kristoff teased with a laugh.

"It is not a fan girl room! It is room where I proudly display portraits and illustrations of important women in his-oh my god it is fan girl room…" Elsa recalled she was still eagerly awaiting a portrait or two from other countries.

"Well, we did good today, I think…" Kristoff stopped at his guest room, scratching his head awkwardly and looking away from Elsa.

"We did _well_ today, Kristoff, yes we did," Elsa corrected, stepping into Kristoff's room. "I'm sorry I have made you come with me on this trip. You're in a country full of strangers and you barely speak the language here. Maybe I should have had someone given you Coronian lessons instead of French."

"It's fine, I kind of liked being the quiet stoic bodyguard for once," he said with a laugh. Elsa looked back at him and smiled as she slowly walked towards him. She gave a lot of emphasis to her hips as she moved while her hand reached around Kristoff and pulled the door closed.

Her face dangerously close to his, she said "I've been neglecting you a bit lately haven't I?" The empress's cold fingers touched Kristoff over his tunic. "I told you I reward loyalty right?" she asked rather sinfully as her teeth bared at him.

"You don't have to show it to me like this, um, you know. I respect you too much and…" Elsa placed her finger on his lips, shushing him.

"We've had this conversation before and I'm frankly tired of repeating myself. You will have plenty of coitus, Sir Kristoff, to keep a man like you healthy and clear minded for his duty. If the task of relieving you of your carnal desires should fall to me, then as your Empress I will do my best to provide for you." Then she grabbed him by his top, pulling him for a kiss. Kristoff's entire body lit up when his lips came into contact with Elsa's cold mouth. And as she pulled away her breath struck his nose, the minty smell getting him slightly lightheaded. "And that goes for me as well. As ruler, I must be at my best and it is your duty as my subject to put the kingdom first."

Elsa opened her arms, her dress disappearing into tiny ice particles in the air and revealing her naked splendor before Kristoff. He gulped, because even though this wasn't the first time, he was never prepared to see a naked woman. Especially one like Elsa. She pulled him again, kissing him as she forcibly led him to the bed.

The empress pushed her knight down, opening his shirt and sliding it off. Kristoff was passive, letting Elsa do all the work as she continued pulling his pants off. As she viewed his member, her eyes widened, and she licked her lips. Kristoff held his tongue, the feeling of Elsa's cold mouth on him nearly driving him to a scream. Even though it went against the natural order of how warm copulation is supposed to feel, Elsa's cold touch was not at all unpleasant, unless she wished it to be. No, the Snow Queen's touch was a gratifying graze on one's skin. A pleasant breeze in an otherwise hot experience. It was different, but no less arousing.

Whatever sorcery she did, if any, made Kristoff's long lasting stamina drop low. He was at the point of near climax in nearly two minutes with just using her mouth. Elsa sensed this and pulled away as she thought it was much too early for him to spill his seed. She grabbed it and gave it some slow strokes, making sure it stayed hard as she repositioned herself on top of him. Kristoff braced himself as she guided him inside her, both grunting as he penetrated Elsa. Unlike her mouth, the inside of Elsa's folds were as warm as any other woman. Elsa slowly grinded, her face scrunching at the feeling of riding a man. She let her hands rest on his chest.

He moaned, his breath uncontained, the feeling of Elsa's warm entrance driving him mad. He reached out and grabbed her small breasts. Elsa groaned as his big hands squeezed with no concern to her sensitivity. "I didn't giv…I didn't give you permission to do that," she said in between breaths as one of his hands left her breast and grabbed her waist.

"Forgive my impudence then my Empress, and forgive me for what I'm about to do now." He said as both his hands grabbed her waist and began to move her body up and down. Elsa was not able to respond so she rolled back her head, moaning loudly as Kristoff continued pounding her. The intensity of it went up, Kristoff shuddered as he came inside his empress. Elsa was filled with his seed, pouring from his tip inside her. Her eyes opened at the sensation, her mouth agape as Kristoff drove her body down further into her and finished.

Elsa fell to the side of the bed, exhausted and breathing hard. Kristoff was in the same condition, but he still had enough energy to move and reached for her hand. "Is this why you keep me around?"

"It's at least ninety percent the reason," she said in between breaths, her body turned away from his. "That's not to say I don't appreciate your many other talents _Sir Kristoff_," She scoffed, making light of his title in a belittling tone. He pulled her closer, hugging her small body against his own bulkiness.

"Once I recharge I'm taking you again _your highness_, and this time you'll be staying down." he whispered into her ear.

"You cannot degrade your empress like a common whore. That is high treason…" She said lethargically, squeezing his hand.

"You can hang me tomorrow then, tonight I'm committing all the treason I want. And there's nothing you can do about it." They both stayed like that for a while, and true to his word Kristoff "recharged" and got another erection. With no resistance, he kneeled and grabbed Elsa from behind, forcing her on all fours. He dove his face in and plunged his tongue into her. Kristoff worked through her short pubes and his tongue circled around her labia, before focusing on her clit. Elsa bit her lips, muffling her own scream as Kristoff pleasured her orally. Once he made sure she was sufficiently wet enough, he pulled away and took her by the hips, penetrating her again, his hardness entering all the way. She moaned lowly as he began slowly, caressing her on her back and sides. But soon his instincts took hold, and he grabbed her firmly and humped her harder.

"Ugh!" she yelped as he struck her hard on the buttocks, leaving a red hand mark on it. "That's assault now it's not-ahh!" But her accusations merely drove Kristoff to go faster and harder, pumping in and out. Again he spanked her ass, showing her no mercy and leaving red marks on her white skin. He reached down and grabbed her breasts hard, squeezing them. Then he crushed her nipples with his large thumb and fingers, eliciting pained yelps from her. With the hitting, the squeezing and the sex, all of this sent her body into a confused orgasm of pain and pleasure. He grabbed her as this happened, by her waist, enjoying the sounds of her scream. No less than a minute later, he unloaded his seed into her once more.

They both fell on the bed once more, Kristoff taking his empress in his arms. He took this time to rub her sore bottom, smiling at the sight of his hand marks. "I didn't hurt you too bad did I?"

"Of course it hurt you brute. But…it was enjoyable," she admitted.

"Hey you're um…drinking that potion right?" he moved away, nudging to his side of the bed.

"Yes, I'm not going to be irresponsible," as she as much as she cared for the man, Elsa did not want to sire a child with him. For various reasons, little that had to do with Kristoff himself. Thankfully he wasn't too keen on the idea either. "Hey Kristoff I'm…" But she was answered by his snores. Elsa looked at his relaxed body, his stomach expanding and contracting in his sleep. The empress smiled and pulled the sheets over him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Sleep tight, my mountain man."

* * *

The sound of fanfare hit the streets of Corona City, the people in the streets cheering and celebrating as the royal guard paraded towards the palace. Elsa watched carefully at the proceedings from the castle steps with a mad grin. Vincent and Agnes were near her, smiling, as their daughter went around talking with everyone she could. The country was overjoyed in the news of Rapunzel's return, especially in the capital where the celebrations had lasted all week.

Last night Elsa had been invited to their annual festival of lights, which coincided with Rapunzel's birthday. Every year Vincent, Agnes and the rest of the city would release floating lights into the sky, in the hopes that their princess would find her way home. It was a beautiful ceremony and Elsa was glad to be a part of it. Both the monarchs had warmed up to Elsa considerably, Agnes even hugging her on several occasions. The rest of the country followed, their image of Elsa quickly turning from a would-be conqueror into a sort of savior. _All according to plan_, she thought.

"My people!" Vincent's shout rang through the amassed crowd, all silent at their King's words. Rapunzel ran back to her parents and Elsa, positioning herself next to her mother as she stared starry eyed at everyone gathered in front of their castle. She could see people on the streets and on their roofs eagerly awaiting their next words. "It has been a tremendous and blessed week for Corona. We have celebrated nonstop at the return of our princess and daughter, Rapunzel!" The crowd cheered for her, their arms in the air as Rapunzel gave them an enthusiastic wave. "Last night's festival of light was not one of hopeful return, but one of triumphant glory!" he continued, Elsa's had mind lingered elsewhere until she heard something.

_Psst!_

Elsa turned her head slightly and saw Rapunzel calling to her.

"What?" She whispered.

"Thanks for sharing that with me, I mean helping me release the floating light last night." The princess said. Elsa had found herself last night being Rapunzel's partner in the ceremony. They both had let loose one of the lights from the balcony. It had joined with the night sky with the rest of lights, almost blending with the stars.

"You're welcome Rapunzel, but let your father finish his speech," Elsa said. _Because soon it's my turn_, she thought as Vincent was nearing the end.

"And we have one person to thank for this, Empress Elsa of Arendelle!" The crowd roared, almost as much as they did for Rapunzel as Elsa politely gave them a bow. "And now, my subjects, we talk about our future. While Corona has enjoyed relative peace these past decades, the same cannot be said for the rest of Europe. In the past fifteen years we've seen governments getting toppled, kings getting the guillotine, the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire…" Which, if Elsa recalled, Corona was a part of. "Emperors rising and falling, countries burning at the stake. I fear that war will come to our land and if this is to be an inevitability, then we must be prepared and we must be protected. With the Holy Roman Empire gone, we can no longer be safe so must look to the north…" Vincent looked at Elsa for a moment, his nervousness at what he was about to say visible. She gave him a reassuring nod.

"This is for the best…" She said lowly.

"I…today I announce that we are joining the Empire of Arendelle!"

There was no applause then, but a quiet shock across the crowd. Vincent knew this would be their reaction, as did Elsa, but this was far from over. Kristoff who was near his empress, spied with the corner of his eyes the foreign dignitaries. They were mad, very mad. The look of displeasure on their face as Elsa's empire has just expanded was priceless. But the French and Austrians seemed to be the angriest. Especially since Austria had better claim to Corona. _But they don't have her as a monarch_, and Kristoff smiled.

King Vincent and Queen Agnes then stood in front of Elsa and bowed, Kristoff and Rapunzel doing the same. "Rise my Coronian monarchs," She commanded and the older couple complied. "I will address my new subjects now." She took a few steps before the gathered crowd. "This may be a lot to take in and I know that it all seems very sudden. But a higher power led me here. Led me here to find Princess Rapunzel." Elsa raised her right arm gently, her palm flat. "This is a sign from God himself. The future of Corona is here, the future I see for the rest of the world." The Empress moved towards the crowd while she continued her speech. "Long have these petty wars in Europe ransacked the countryside. Long have fathers, sons and uncles given their lives at the whims of tyrants. Long have wives, mothers and daughters suffered at the cruelty of war. Well I say no more!" Elsa walked back towards the center, but didn't give the crowd her back. "Arendellians and Coronians share a common Germanic ancestry. I am not trying to appeal to racial superiority or anything of the sort, but you have to realize we are all family. And I want each and every one of you to be in my family." She stomped on the ground with her boot, her magic surging from her center to her foot as an icy surface formed below her. A platform of ice began to ascend Elsa slowly as she continued her speech "With the people of Corona joining the empire, we will accomplish so much more together." The crowd looked at her powers in amazement as she began to tower over them. "With the Ice and Sun together, we will stand triumphant against any adversary that would dare to hurt us!" From the castle's balconies, banners hung down, showing the merged form of Corona's sun behind Arendelle's flower. "Together we will stand tall, together we will unite humanity and bring everlasting peace to the world!"

While the apprehension was evident on many, most of the crowd was moved by her words and cheers ensured. Elsa's name began to be shouted through the crowd as she looked on her new subjects from her ice platform. "A new age has begun!"

* * *

"So, this has been an interesting week…" King Vincent said as the last of Elsa's entourage boarded her ship.

"But not a bad one," Elsa added, as she took a momentary glance at the night sky.

"I will always be grateful to you for bringing our daughter back to us," the Queen said, before bringing Elsa into a hug.

"Really it was nothing," Elsa hugged the woman back awkwardly. _She reminds me a bit too much of my mother, to an uncomfortable degree_, Elsa thought as she stopped herself from tightening the embrace on Agnes.

"For that you have our eternal loyalty, Empress," Agnes pulled back, smiling warmly. _Yes, just like mother._

"Just Elsa, please. And I'm glad at how things turned out, I didn't have to call my "angels"," she said, as Vincent and Agnes' smile dropped momentarily before breaking into a nervous laugh. "That was a joke," she tried to calm their nerves, mentioning her angels was probably not a good idea. Kristoff soon approached the dock with a large group of men, alarming the people in the immediate area.

"Who bought these ruffians here?" Vincent said with disgust as the band of thuggish looking men reached them.

"Here they are, just like Eugene said, and they speak Arendellian. This is their leader, Hook Hand." Kristoff stepped to the side and let a large bald man approach the empress. True to his name, his left hand was amputated, replaced with a menacing metal hook. He had a thin handle bar moustache, complimenting his villainous look.

"It is an honor Empress Elsa," Hook Hand said, taking a knee and grabbing Elsa's hand, giving it a small customary kiss. "The Iron Maces are at your service."

"I have to ask…what is that archaic armor you're all wearing?" Elsa noticed it almost immediately, each of these mercenaries was wearing armor quite a few centuries too late. Hook hand himself, for instance, was wearing leather padding and vambraces.

"We're enthusiasts of older times, but we armor up for the situation, and we're very hardcore, mam'," He stood up, towering the empress.

"Yes, prison breaks, sieges, impossible acts of military might. Your reputation speaks for itself." Hook hand smiled and shouted "Alright, everyone on the ship, let's go!" Each of the mercenaries passed by Elsa, Vincent and Agnes, giving them all a small bow. _A Valkyrie helmet? Really? _One of the men indeed had a winged helmet, like that of the Old Norse sagas. And then she spotted another man, who was at least a head bigger than Kristoff with a horned helmet. _Now that's just unsafe_.

"You hired these mercenaries?" Vincent asked, eyeing them with suspicion.

"Their skills will be most useful to me," she stated. "Well, it seems everyone's on board. I think it's about time I take my…"

"Wait!" she heard a familiar voice call to them. "Don't leave yet, wait!" Rapunzel came running towards them with some luggage.

"Rapunzel!" both her parents said in unison.

"Mom, Dad, this is kind of last minute, but I need to announce something," she said, putting her luggage down. At that point Elsa noticed an exotic reptile riding on her shoulders. _Since when did she have that?_

"What is it, dear?" Agnes said with her motherly concern.

"I wanna go with Elsa." She stated, much to the shock of her parents.

"What?" they asked.

"Yeah what?" Elsa repeated.

Rapunzel took a deep breath. "Okay, while I love you both dearly even though I only just met you again, I've been in a tower my whole life. I wanna explore the world, meet new people and experience life at its fullest."

"But dear, we've only just got you back," Agnes said, a bit dejected.

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's not like it's gonna be forever, besides Arendelle isn't that far. Oh and I'll visit a lot, promise."

"We can't burden the Empre-" The king began to say.

"She won't be a bother," Elsa cut the king off. "Besides, princess Rapunzel would be a wonderful representative from Corona in my court." There was silence for a moment, before Elsa said "of course, the choice it ultimately yours."

Rapunzel took another deep breath, closing her eyes and then happily said, "I'm going." The girl then hugged her parents goodbye, her mother crying dearly and her father forcing himself to stay strong for her.

"Maximus!" Vincent called out, the horse approaching the dock. "Rapunzel, take Maximus with you, he's the finest horse in this kingdom." He looked at Maximus and gave him a nod. The horse neighed lowly and nodded back.

And so the ship was unanchored and its sails were drawn. Rapunzel waved at everybody from the deck screaming "I'll write you everyday! I'll miss you all." Elsa stood next to her, smiling.

_I didn't plan to bring her with me, but she is such a…beautiful acquisition, _Elsa thought as her smile widened. "Rapunzel, dear," she said in her charming tone, putting her arm around the princess, whom was surprised at the sudden contact. "I can't wait to introduce you to my sister, you two are gonna get along just fine."

As the ship sailed and night descended on the deck, Elsa stared into the sea, thinking of past events.

* * *

**A/N: Some things to talk about concerning history and Disney**

**Holy Roman Empire: A large empire which ruled what is today Germany and other territories. Was dissolved after Napoleon defeated their forces.**

**Kingdom of Bohemia: A kingdom located in what is today Czech Republic. Was the biggest member in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Emperor was usually also the King of Bohemia.**

**Kingdom of Hanau: A fake kingdom for this story, Snow White's place, based on the region of Hanau which is where the Grimm Brothers came from. Since it's a German kingdom, it would of course be located within the Holy Roman Empire.**

**Kingdom of Corona: Rapunzel's Kingdom. Located in the real life region of Pomerania, it's right under Denmark. They're German, but their language is of a slight different dialect. Was also a member state of the HRE.**

**Betaread by penversusswords. Reviews are appreciated and welcomed.**


	3. The Beast of the North

**A/N: Welp, sorry for the long update. For a moment, I almost left this fic for dead. But it's not. I'll at least complete the First Arc. This chapter has some slight lesbianism, but nothing smutty. **

* * *

She didn't know if it was her, or the general mood the kingdom was in, but it was snowing in Arendelle. From her tear stained eyes, she could see people coming back from the funeral. _They've already buried them_, she sighed heavily and moved away from the window. _And I couldn't even bring myself to attend their funera_l, she backed herself into the walls of her room.

_"I'm such a horrible daughter_, her mind descended into pure self loathing and with a slam of her wrist to the ground, the whole floor became covered in ice. With another hit, she began to sob, her tears falling and freezing before they hit the ground.

The future Queen of Arendelle stayed like that for a while, eventually passing out.

_Knock Knock._

Elsa opened her eyes, her body still pressed again the wall and wondered where that knock came from. "Why is my window open?" She moved swiftly and closed them, shutting off the breeze.

"Elsa," a voice startled her from behind.

"Wha-what!" She recoiled back, pressing herself against her window. "Y-you!" Elsa stiffened, her legs trembling as she saw what was before her. Her memory was fleeting, but she remembered, she remembered that horrible night when she was a small girl.

"Princess, we need to talk," the troll said, his rocky, stubby body walking with a small bounce.

"Troll!" Elsa shouted in surprise, still quite jumpy and nervous. Her anxiety notwithstanding, she wasn't afraid of trolls, at least not that one, since he was the one that specifically saved her sister from her own idiocy all those years ago.

"Grand Pabbie," he stated, correcting her rudeness. Elsa quickly berated herself, human or not, that was not very kind of her.

"Right...my apologies." She gave him a low bow, relaxing her hands. Though her eyes were apprehensive, she straightened her back again. Grand Pabbie, the reclusive and elderly leader of the rock trolls that lived but a horse ride away from the city, was looking at her almost with disappointment. He rubbed his big nose as he walked towards one of the corners of her room, his mossy clothes shaking as he examined all the ice Elsa had sprayed everywhere.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he said. "But why weren't you at your parents funeral?" he continued, looking at her with impatient eyes.

The question was rather disarming, she couldn't lie to him like the others by using her grief to further her isolation. "It's not safe," she answered, looking away.

"For who? For you? Or everyone else?" He asked, with an accusing glance. Elsa took a heavy breath, refusing to answer and turned to her side. "When I told your parents that fear will be your worst enemy, I meant your fear, not the fear of others!"

"Wha-what do you mean? I can't very well just not fear my own powers, look what happened to Anna!" she shouted back, holding her own tears.

"Being cautious, and being afraid are two different things. You're holding in your powers, barely, but worst of all you're holding back your emotions!" the troll scolded, as if he was arguing with one of his own children. "Do you want to lead your kingdom into ruin? Because you're leading this kingdom into ruin!"

Those words actually angered Elsa, she narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at the creature."And if I just start flaunting around my powers? Are the people just going to accept me?" A silly thought, to be sure, and not something that could even be argued with. A Lutheran nation, was what Arendelle was, and that in itself is a host of all sorts of problems in the modern day due to the confiscation of Catholic church soil long ago. A magic user ruling over Arendelle was simply inconceivable to Elsa.

"You are neither the first, nor will you be the last magic using leader we've seen. Your subjects are not as ignorant as you want them to be and they don't deserve to be underestimated by their monarch in that manner."

"That's out line! From what history are you drawin-" Elsa was interrupted by Pabbie, as he began sprouting names of leaders and monarchs that had magical powers.

"Anansi, hero king of Akan in Africa, shape shifter," he began listing, Elsa having heard these names, but still arguing.

"Yes, but-"

"Maui, chief of Hawaiʻi, very strong, no doubt magic."

"Not really my-"

"Merlin, who led King Arthur to his sword, and his crown..."

"Okay, but-"

"Kuzco, Emperor of the Andes, and...no wait, he wasn't magic, although there was an incident with alchemy. How about Circe? The lonely Queen of a moving island, helped those who got lost at sea?"

"Circe turned men into animals! And she didn't even exist!" Elsa argued, remembering the legend of Circe. The tale went that Circe's island floated through the Mediterranean, the sorceress trying to find just "one good man". She seduced the young Icarus, but tired of him after only "five minutes", so said the tale.

"She only did at first, and she did indeed exist. That son of Zeus helped her see the value in man," he argued, his words perhaps not at all about Circe.

"Alright, how about Grimmhilde? Queen of Hanau, very cruel and very petty," Elsa retorted. "The vizier Jafar of Agrabah? Nearly destroyed the entire Middle East with a Djinn! Madame Mim? Who opposed King Arthur at every step? Or Maleficent? Nearly burned down all of Saxony!" Every villainous name she shouted bought her voice higher, until she was screaming. Names that were not so much belonging to men and women as to horrible forces of nature. A lesson for all mankind, was the way she saw it. A true history lesson and a large part of her fear of magic, and herself. "Oh, and let's not forget that situation with the pirates and the sea goddess they angered a few decades back!"

"Maleficent was a fey," Pabbie said, unmoved by Elsa's outburst. That was a bit of a revelation for Elsa, since Maleficent was assumed to just be another power hungry sorceress. "As for Grimmhilde and Jafar, that just shows that they were flawed human beings, like all of you are. Magic or no, it made little difference. Madame Mim was an old woman, petty perhaps, but hardly evil. People forget that in her youth she did plenty of good in Britannia. As for the goddess Calypso, she's above petty moral standards," His voice returned to a softer, less stern, one. "The good comes with the bad, always. My question to you is, are you going to hide all your life here? Or do you want to be the Queen you're meant to be?"

"This is but a simple task then? Can you remove my magic?" she spat with narrowed eyes, hoping for a chance to lift the burden from her soul and body. And a chance to live normally.

"No, and even if I could, I wouldn't. Your magic is a peculiar type, primordial, in your blood. It's as much a part of you as your skin."

"Skin can be removed..." Elsa said morbidly.

"And become a husk, just like you are right now, an emotional husk of regret and sadness." Pabbie walked in front of Elsa. "Do you want to be able to walk outside? Be free? Hold your sister? Love anyone you wish? That, I can help you with, but it must come from within. I need you to have a desire to break free of your fears," the troll asserted, holding his small hand out to her.

"I can't!" She recoiled back, holding her hands to her chest.

"You must!"

"I-"

"Princess, your kingdom will suffer if you don't. But worst off, Princess Anna will, I have seen it," he revealed and that mention of her sister shook Elsa. Going down that path would hurt her sister further? Her sister, whom she cursed, whom she centers her life around. Her sister, to which a world without her would be meaningless and bleak.

"Wha-what needs to be done?" she asked, holding herself more firmly

"Training, I know someone."

Elsa's thoughts of regret poured in. All those years, missed childhood, missed courting, Anna.

Anna.

"Is it not too late?" Elsa asked with resignation.

"It's never too late, but you must take action, Princess," he pleaded, still holding out his hand. Elsa swallowed a lump in her throat and bent down, touching the troll's hand, shaking it. "Good, I partly blame myself for this, I should have been more clear to Agdar," he said with clear regret in his voice as let go of her hand, walking towards the window.

"Tomorrow at four o'clock in the morning, there will be a Sami man with a sled waiting for you in front of your gates. Pack some winter gear and meet him. You will travel north, all the way to where your land meets the sea. You will rest in Sami villages, they will house you without question, they will already know in advance. You will be taken to your trainer, she only appears after sundown." He opened the window with nothing but his mind and a wave of his hand. "You will return only when she releases you, however long that may be." He jumped, with surprising limberness despite his heavy body, to the frame and held on to it, looking back at Elsa. "Your people will need you at your best, there's a storm coming your majesty, I can feel it."

* * *

"Empress...Elsa?" A sweet voice pulled her from her flashback with a pair of green eyes accompanying it. "Why are you here alone, watching the ocean?" Rapunzel asked as she leaned on the rails, mimicking the slightly older woman.

"Just...reminiscing dear," she said, and then quickly changed the topic, not wishing to share that memory for the time being. "Enjoying the ride?"

"Yes, it's fun, so many new people to meet! All the crew members have been such gentlemen, and I can't wait to see Arendelle. Oh, and especially Princess Anna!" she jabbered, which Elsa found adorable. She was wearing a more detailed dress, Elsa observed, with the new symbol of Corona and Arendelle adorning her.

And shoes.

"I forget all this must be new to you, but I hope you're not going to neglect me when you do meet my dear sister?" She said with a sly smile, her flirtation going over Rapunzel's head.

"Oh of course not! I'm so grateful for all you've done I would never do such a thing!" Rapunzel was actually horrified at the thought, her eyes looking like if they were about to cry. _She's too pure, I may need to be more direct_, Elsa thought.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" Elsa asked rather dramatically, her hand on her chest, like if she was about to swoon.

"What? What kind of silly question is that? Of course you are," she answered back, looking at the Empress with concerned eyes. "You're angelic. You have the most flawless blue eyes, great skin, the proper amount of make up; although I'm sure you would look just as well without it. Oh! and I love your hair, unconventional, but it completes your angelic look." _Angelic?, _she thought_, _ _she really is pure,_ Elsa shook her head, hiding the slight blush from all the compliments.

"So...have you looked at me that long to make those observations?" Elsa asked, Rapunzel finally realizing she was under fire from the Empress' predatory leering. Her cheeks lit up in a crimson flash.

"Oh, well..." She began to suddenly touch her own hair nervously, looking away. "It's just...like a pretty piece of art, your Majesty..."

_I have you now..._

"I'm a pretty piece of art am I?" she asked, stepping dangerously close to the princess.

"No, your Majesty, I'm not insinuating that you're an object or-"

"Rapunzel," the Empress interrupted, drawing the girl's vision back to her. "Relax," she said with a laugh. "I was teasing you."

"Oh...heh," she laughed back, her hand rubbing the back of her head in shame.

"Would you like to come to my cabin tonight and do each other's hair?" Elsa asked, and then adding "I could use some female company, there's little women personnel in this vessel." She meant "female company" in a certain way and judging by Rapunzels' blushed cheeks and wide open eyes, she seemed to comprehend.

"Yes...yes your Majesty, I would love to keep you company tonight."

"Splendid," Elsa bubbled, looking giddy and holding her hands together like a child.

"I promised Sir Kristoff a game of chess, so I'll see you tonight!" And then she was gone, leaving Elsa alone with her thoughts again.

_Sir Kristoff Bjorgman_,

Elsa's mind wandered back to the Sami man. Her loyal friend, bodyguard and sometimes lover. She remembered, not long ago, he was not much different from her; Cold, and with similar parental issues.

Her memories went to the first time they met.

* * *

"Princess, I have to again advise against this!" Kai shouted as the he followed Elsa through the courtyard and towards the gates. The red hairs on his balding head were on edge at the Queen-to-be's sudden decision for this trip.

"I've made my decision," she said sternly, as the gates opened for them. "I have to take care of my problems, Kai." The mention of her powers stunned him, he knew, one of the few that knew. "No more risks, no more isolation, I'll take care of this and come back." She turned to him, taking his hand hesitantly with her gloved fingers. "Thank you for everything," she said earnestly.

"Princess Elsa...you act as if you're not coming back."

"Maybe it's a different Elsa that'll comes back, either way, this person isn't fit to be Queen," she said as she stepped outside her gates, her heavy winter clothes not comforting her nervousness. She noted the two guards at the entryway, watching for any sign of trouble, but specifically at the man in the sled.

"Elsa!" A voice suddenly stopped her, a far but recognizable voice. "Elsa, wait!" the girl cried again, running from the castle.

"Anna!" She wasn't supposed to know. This was going to be much harder now. The red headed Princess of Arendelle ran with all her might, a look of desperation plaguing her.

"Elsa!" Anna finally caught up, having to bend down to catch her breath. "Where..." she said, still breathing hard." Where are you going?"

"I'm taking a pilgrimage Anna," she lied, hating to do so. Anna eyed her sister with heavy suspicion and then looked at the sled with the lone man and big reindeer. "What? To the North Pole?"

You might not be too far off, Elsa said in her head. "Anna...I-"

"If you need to go to a holy site and find answers, I could come too, they were my parents too you know!" she expressed, bitterly, and withheld tears.

"This is something I need to do without you Anna!" she said, fumbling in her words, and realizing too late what she had said. Taking a few cautionary steps from her sister, Elsa saw the hurt that formed in Anna's eyes. For a moment, her lips quivered, it looked as if she was gonna bawl her eyes out. The crying came, but the glare was first

"Oh of course, the reclusive Elsa has to do things by herself!" she spat back, her tears now running. "This is something we should be doing together, as sisters, as family!" She turned around, walking away. "Just go and disappear, it hardly makes a difference." Her voice spoke low, but Elsa felt the pain of a thousand knives cutting through her heart.

"Anna!" she shouted back, but Anna paid no heed as she walked away. "I promise when I come back, things will be different!" The princess stopped for a moment, but continued her way, her back turned. Elsa held her tears, and sighed deeply. "Watch over her please," she commanded, as she turned and headed for the sled.

"Of course." Kai watched as Elsa approached the lone man in the heavy winter jacket. She stared at him, unsure what to do.

"Well?" he asked. "You coming or what?"

"Are you the one Pabbie sent?" Elsa asked, hesitantly scooting herself in the rear seat of the large sled.

"Yup," he said, grabbing the reins of the sled. "Have you said your goodbyes?"

"As best as I could," she said with sadness, her thoughts coming back to Anna.

"Then let's go, Sven!" The reindeer responded, pulling them swiftly through the still sleeping town. Elsa held on tightly, never having been rushed through a vehicle such as that. Even the few times she's been in a carriage was nothing at all like this. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine!" she lied, holding on even tighter as they reached the wilderness.

* * *

"If it's not so rude of me to ask..." Elsa began saying, curiosity getting to her after having travelled for an hour. She got a good look at the man chauffeuring her through the winter forests with a reindeer. The heavy clothing obscured much, but he was a very well developed and big man. He was handsome, Elsa finally realized, his blonde hair and strong jawline very appealing. She might as will make conversation, if not at least to pass the time. "Are you from the local tribe?"

"Huh? Oh no, I'm a freelance ice harvester," he replied, cold but polite, his focus on the road before them.

"But you are Sami right?" The Sami were a nomadic people living throughout Scandinavia and parts of Russia, ethnically different from Nordic people like Elsa. In older times there were issues between the states and the tribes, but her Father made laws allowing the freedom to migrate with no harassment. For the most part, this has sealed any animosity between Arendelle and its Sami population. She can't say the same for neighboring countries.

"Yeah...I mean, I sometimes forget I am even when I go and trade with the tribes. But I was raised by Pabbie and the group, so I guess I'm more troll than man," he said with a light laugh.

"You were...raised by trolls?" she asked, pondering how this man didn't act like a creature.

"Yeah, but don't be concerned, I had a pretty normal childhood in spite of my family. You seem cool with them, and that's the only reason I'm telling you this," he recounted and then added, "Kristoff Bjorgman, by the way."

"Oh, I'm...I'm Elsa."

"I was a little surprised when Pabbie told me I was escorting Princess Elsa herself to that woman up in the north, but I didn't really question it." Their sled moved from the forest into the snowy fields, edging near the North Mountain. Winter was ever approaching.

"I owe the trolls a lot, and they keep helping me with no way to pay back..." Elsa said, remembering that peculiar incident from her childhood, and the reason Anna has that white streak on her red mane of hair.

"They're good people, as long as they have their valley, they'll be happy to help. But, if you really want to make them content, booze eliminates all outstanding debts," he expressed merrily. "I'm not even kidding."

"Oh, I'll be sure to bring the best win-"

"Mead."

"...mead to them when I get the chance," Elsa promised, the snow hitting her face as comfortable as her own flesh.

"So...ice powers?" He asked, looking back at her. Elsa slightly recoiled, but remembered he was an agent of the trolls.

"Yes..." They sat in silence, the sled passing the North Mountain and into an area filled with snowy hills.

"I guess you don't have trouble keeping your drinks cold then?" He broke the silence, Elsa taking a moment to comprehend the joke. "Oh sorry, didn't mean to..."

"No, my apologies, I supposed making light of this is one way to...heal," she said, giving him the smallest of smiles. "And yes, my drinks are hardly ever warm. That's why I use gloves," she said, showing him her gloved hand.

"I mean, you have them. Might as well make your life a little easier right?" For the first time in a while, Elsa began to talk about everything; her powers, her childhood, her parents and family. She was actually talking to someone. Not a maid, not Kai, but a person. It felt good to talk with a stranger.

* * *

After an hour of traveling, Elsa's curiosity led her to say "So, tell me about this woman."

"Oh, I haven't met her personally, the trolls talk about her though." Kristoff answered, the sleigh slightly swerving. "I can't say much else."

"You're dropping me off, and another Sami will take me?" Elsa cast her gaze on an approaching settlement, a Sami village nestled near some woods. There was a reindeer herder walking with several of the animals on the outskirts. It made sense, considering what she knew, as reindeers were the center of Sami economy, and their livelihoods depended on them.

"Yup, this is a security precaution, we don't want anyone to know where you are. You didn't tell anyone did you?"

"No, but at great protest," she replied, remembering her arguments with Kai.

"I imagined. You'll rest here tonight, and tomorrow you'll be taken to another tribe near Snåsa," he explained. Snåsa, Elsa remembered, was an Arendellian town to the north, founded not so long ago when they were drawing out municipalities in their borders. "You'll go tribe through tribe, until you're at Arctic Circle itself, your final destination will be in Northern Sami lands."

Elsa stared at her hands, fear rushing through her face" I...hope I don't hurt them."

"Don't be silly princess, you won't, and this is your chance to connect with your other subjects. Or are you one of those "Arendelle is for the Norse" type?" He questioned, a noticeable frown on his face. The village, or rather camp, was now in clear view and she could see many colorful people coming out.

"No, no, I would ne...all men are equal under the Lord, and my father made sure I understood that," Elsa said, somewhat offended of the thought that she could be a racist or some kind of Nordic supremacist.

"King Agdar did practice what he preached, too bad not everyone listens. And don't get me started on Svealand!" He mentioned their immediate neighbor, with visible anger.

"We are not Svealand..." Elsa recoiled, remembering that not long before Agdar died, he ceased trade with them. Whatever it was, Elsa thought, it must have been a good reason.

"I know, Princess. As long you're respectful, they'll treat you in kind," he said, his voice soothing her. "But never ever use the word 'Lapp', understood?" Elsa remembered, Lapp is a derogatory word, and the way Kristoff said it most likely meant he was the receiving end of it. She's heard ministers in her own castle use that word, with a colorful phrase included, but was never brave enough to scold them. _That will change,_ she thought.

"Yes, of course."

They were nearly to the village, and she could see a small group of people waiting for them. Elsa had never seen Sami people personally, only in pictures and illustrations, so it took a moment for her take in their features. The women of the tribe wore vibrant colored dresses, while the men wore shirts with decorated collars. Both genders had lively winter caps adorning their heads.

"Looks like they're all dressed up for you," he said as jumped off the sled, patting his reindeer on his back. Kristoff walked back and offered Elsa his hand, she froze up, not at all ready to take the hand of a man her age. She fearfully shook her head and stood up by herself.

"Forgive me, Mr. Bjorgman that was rude, it's just..."

"It's alright, understandable. You have to promise me one thing though," he said, as he released Sven from his harness. "When you come back you'll allow me to escort you like a true gentlemen."

"I can promise that," she said with a smile.

"I need to feed Sven, I'll be gone in a few. Johan and his family here will accommodate you. And don't be nervous, they know who you are and what you can do." Elsa saw an older man with several daughters her own age approach her. The daughters were beautiful young girls, perhaps younger than her or about Anna's age. Something about the way they smiled reminded Elsa of her own sister. Her heart sunk, remembering how they left off. "I'll be here to pick you up, whenever that may be," Kristoff said as he and Sven walked towards the reindeer herd.

"Princess Elsa, an honor, if you'll come with us," Johan's daughters approached Elsa, but kept a safe distance and they escorted her towards a large tent.

As night descended, the crown Princess of Arendelle found difficulty in the simple task of having dinner with another family. Elsa knew she was hardly the most socially capable person, but it was ridiculous how she could hardly hold a conversation or look people in the eyes.

"Your highness, when Pabbie told us we would be helping you on your quest, it filled my heart with joy," one of Johan's daughter said. Again, the girl's infectious smile made Elsa doubt her own danger.

"Y-you too!" Elsa responded, without much tact she immediately realized the wrong answer she gave. Johan laughed, taking a sip from his reindeer hide cup.

"Princess please, you're nervous, relax." He placed the cup down and her eyes were drawn to it, the smell leaving the cup like a small white cloud.

"Is...is that coffee?" Elsa asked, curiously, the strong but alluring smell hitting her nose.

"Yes princess, straight from Turkey." Johan smiled as he put the cup down. "Would you like some?"

Elsa stared at it for a moment, unsure what to make of the beverage. "I've never had any. I saw father once or twice drink it, he said I was too young to taste it." One of Johan's daughter immediately went and poured her a cup, only half filled.

"You're a young girl, so only a bit to start you off with," he explained as Elsa looked at the cup with the slightest of apprehension. She wondered what a hot beverage would due to her or her physiology. Would it melt her insides? Cause her to ignite? She ignored the scenarios and placed the cup gently on her lips. Slowly, the hot black liquid made its way through her throat.

Warmness.

Warmness filled her as she drank it, a nice, comfortable warmness that soothed her. The taste itself was bitter, perhaps a bit disgusting at first, but she drank it regardless. The Sami family stared at her wide eyed as she finished. She put the cup down and looked at them with embarrassment as she wiped a small trickle of it off the edge of her lips.

"Is something wrong?" Elsa asked, before she noticed a steady white steam coming from below her nose. "Ah!" she shouted as she began to wipe away the steamy cloud from her mouth. _No no no no, it's over, they're going to think of me as a freak now!_ Were her harried thoughts as she put her hands over her mouth.

But the sounds of their laughter confused her. Johan and his two daughters coiled back in mirth at the sight of the girl's mouth.

"Forgive me princess, the sight was most amusing," one of the daughters said, still containing her laughter.

"You should use that to freak people out." Elsa heard, as she let go of her mouth, only the slightest of steam escaping now. "But please, don't let that stop you from enjoying whatever drink you desire, Miss," Johan pushed the Princess' cup forward, inviting her for more.

"It does not make you uncomfortable?" Elsa asked, surprised.

"Have you ever seen a drunk naked dwarf, Princess?"

"I can't say I have," Elsa replied, the image of a rowdy dwarf holding his own in bar brawl going through her mind.

"Now that's uncomfortable," Johan said, heartily laughing to himself, as Elsa picked up the cup again.

The princess was given her own small tent, but she had trouble sleeping. The caffeine stirred her nerves, keeping them awake and alert, but her exhaustion eventually won and she fell into a deep sleep. One of the women eventually called to her from outside the tent and after cleaning herself she was taken to another sled. A day's travel later, she was smuggled to another Sami camp, and after a thankful goodbye to Johan she was with another family.

The situation was much the same, a bit of awkwardness, but less so. She drank coffee once more and ate reindeer meat, which was so good to the taste that she felt guilty. Reindeers were, in her mind, such majestic animals. The mounts of Saint Nicholas himself, who ascend to the skies and bring joy to the world. But, casting aside the myth surrounding the animals, people needed to eat.

Another village later, she had fish, not cooked as gourmet as she was used too, but just as filling and appetizing.

At the last camp, and another week later, she came to what she was sure was the northern tips of Arendelle, in the region of Finmark, where the Arctic Ocean was visible. The Sami there wore heavy clothing, as the Arctic Circle was merciless, and it wasn't even the dead of winter yet. Elsa of course wasn't bothered by the temperature, at all.

But the Sami were nomads, and this tribe would be gone from the area soon. A man named Wimme led her through the snowy fields, and they overlooked the coast and into the northern sea as they did.

"She lives in this abandoned place, a shrine to the old gods of the Norsemen," he said through his muffled cloak. "I know you're special your highness, but are you sure you don't need more clothes? An extra jacket?"

"No," Elsa replied, she had but a small hood, and her long blonde braid snaked onto her chest and stomach. As they neared a large stone structure, the remains of an old viking fort, Elsa looked at it in wonder.

"I thought there weren't any Norsemen here back then?" Elsa asked as the sled stopped.

"Sometimes, things are a bit bigger than race or culture. As you'll see," was his enigmatic answer. "Dusk will be soon..." Indeed the sun was all but gone, night would descend in a little less than an hour. In the coming months, when true winter would descend, this region would be subject to days worth of darkness for the better part of the season. "She will appear then. Be safe your highness." Then the man was gone, his reindeer roaring away through the heavy snow.

Elsa turned and hesitantly walked forward to the ruins, the heavy wind blowing against her, almost pushing her away. But being Elsa, her body was unharmed by such low temperatures, she continued onward. Two large pillars, one of them broken off, stood as an entryway, with large stone steps descending into the depths of the frozen earth. Elsa reached the entrance and as she begun to descend the stairs, she finally got relief from the wind and walked with grace once more.

Her boots echoed through the ruins, and only darkness awaited her inside. She took off her gloves, for the first time in weeks, and put her hands together as a blue orb materialized in her hand and used its light to guide her through. There was unlit torches, but something was very unusual about them.

"It looks like they were lit recently," she murmured to herself as she approached one, noticing the long term scorch marks. "Is someone really living here?" Elsa asked herself, unable to comprehend someone squatting in an old Nordic ruin. She nonetheless continued her descent, reaching the bottom and walking straight forward through the stone halls.

She entered a large and open chamber, turning off her light and staring in awe. The torches there were actively lit, there were signs everywhere of occupation. Animal skins, current banners of Arendelle and neighboring countries, textiles and fresh clothing littered the walls. There was a large crock-pot near the back, and animal bones littered around. Several books were scattered about, and a guitar resting against the wall. What kind of barbarian lives here? she thought as she wearily continued forward. Elsa had the most peculiar...feeling that she was being watched. But she shook the thought.

Something else caught her eyes as she continued scanning the room, in the back there were some large statues: Two adjacent blocky carvings of old Nordic warriors, with ceremonial horned helmets, standing idly with their hands wrapped around a large stone axe. The heads of their weapons stood against the floor. In between them, and on top of an altar, was another more detailed statue. At first glance it looked like a demon from hell, with it's large webbed wings outstretched. She got closer, noticing it's feminine features and began to make the details.

The beastly woman stood aggressively, a sword in her hand and her mouth agape, as if attacking. She had elongated canines, and sharpened claws. Her feet were talon like, with a large avian clawed digit in the back like an owl's. Her hair was long and luscious, even in its stony state, with an old fashioned headband on her head. There was a long and thick tail protruding from her lower back. A loin cloth was her only modesty, along with some wrapping around the breasts. Elsa continued to stare at the figure, taking in all its features, approaching it without fear. "It's...beautiful," she said, her arm reaching and touching the statue's leg with admiration. She looked upwards, noticing the aggressive demeanor, the four small horns on her forehead ever removing her from sainthood. "This is truly fine craftsmanship, no signs of degradation..." she continued babbling, noticing some broken off stone pieces near the statue's base. "Unusual," she said as she picked one up. "It looks like it came from her, but there are no signs of wear." She put the piece down and turned around, looking for other signs of life around the camp she was in.

"Sundown should be soon, Pabbie said I would meet my help at exactly when the sun sets," she dialogued to herself, to loosen her nerves, as she walked to the middle of the chamber. "I suppose I'll wait here th-" the sound of stone cracking interrupted her, causing her to instantly turn around in all directions.

"Who's there?!" she shouted, creating another blue glowing ball in her hands. "I am Elsa of Arendelle and I am not defenseless!" She turned back to the statues, she panicked as she saw that the demon gone. More pieces of stone were now littered where she was, Elsa began to hyperventilate, coming to the worst conclusions.

With heavy breathing, she slouched, ready to attack at any sign of movement. Suddenly, a drop of warm liquid hit her face, and a low beastly snarl came from overhead. She turned her head slowly upwards, her pupils dilated in horror. The last thing she remembered were red eyes coming straight towards her.

And her own screams muffled in the dead north. Where no one would come.

* * *

**A/N: Notes and Trivia**

**Arendelle has replaced Norway in this AU. Svealand has replaced Sweden. I fixed a sentence in the first chapter, Wesselton is part of Svealand. **

**The Sami are a nomadic people that live in Scandinavia, Kola and parts of Russia. They're the true indigenous people of the land and are protected as such. Kristoff is a Sami man, this is true for the film as well.**

**Pabbie mentions Circe from Greek Myth, in the Hercules Disney show, she's voiced by Idina Menzel (Elsa), so it's double funny to me. You should search it in youtube. It's uncanny. **

**Reviews are appreciated as always, betaread by the wonderful and patient penversusswords. **


	4. Stone Thick

A small storm lingered on the horizon, its flashes captivating Rapunzel as she watched in awe. She'd seen thunder and lightning from her tower before, their lights always drawing her as much as the floating lights did. She wasn't as uneducated as to think they were to be touched, nor did she have the fascination to see them up close.

Well, perhaps there was some curiosity, but not to the point where she wished to kiss the hand of God for it.

But during one such flash, she noticed something downward, into the sea below them. "What?" she screechedin surprised, peeking her head in closer to see, but the darkness of the night blanketed the sea and her eyes, green as they may be, were not as magical as her hair was.

The blessings of another flash came, and she nearly died of fright. A large shadow moved under the boat, stretching its shape past the boat's length. It was titanic, more than forty meters in length and its width was easily more than the ship's as well. Whatever it was, it had fins and a tail. _A whale perhaps? The legendary sea beast Monstro? _she thought, remembering all her books on marine life.

"Ah, you've met one of Elsa's angels," Kristoff began explaining, as he positioned himself next to Rapunzel, looking at the beast below.

"Angels?" Rapunzel asked, her eyes turning back to the beast, and catching glimpses every time lightning flashed.

"That specifically is Jörmungandr, so named after this giant snake in Nordic myth. In case you're still wondering, yes, it's a sea monster made of ice," he said and then added, "and the reason nobody has tried to invade us by sea." Kristoff's eyes scanned the surface of the water, then to the horizon. Satisfied he looked back at the princess, smiling, and still glad she could speak Arendellian.

"Did...Elsa make it?"

"Oh yeah, this one specifically was going to be used against the fleets of Cimbria. But they surrendered, thankfully," Kristoff recounted with obvious relief. "There's more. Perhaps you'll meet them. And their use limited, hopefully..." There were stories in Kristoff's eyes, flashes of giant ice monsters and war. Rapunzel wished to hear them, but it seemed today was not the day. So instead she asked about something more interesting. "Sir Kristoff?"

"Hey, we talked about this, no Sirs or Lords please," he said with an embarrassed smile.

"Right, sorry. Kristoff...tell me some more about Elsa. I mean, our first meeting wasn't...ideal. But we talked a bit this week, shared a special moment, and I just wished to know what those under her think of their liege."

"There's not a lot you can get from the opinions of others. I will say this. She is not a perfect person, she has made mistakes and she has worries just like you or me. But, despite her powers, she is warmth to many of us. She is kind to her subjects and allies, and has given undeserved mercy to those who have crossed her. Men and woman love her, and...she loves them right back." Kristoff's eyes went to the distance, the wind blowing his hair as much as the sails.

He turned back to her "Well, you said you were off to meet her right? Don't keep her waiting," he ordered.

"Oh yeah, right." Rapunzel took off, leaving the man behind and into the decks below, Elsa's private deck.

The door to Elsa's cabin almost burned to the touch as much as thoughts of jumping through the window back in her tower did. Her nervousness at meeting Elsa again, after the honey that dripped from her mouth from their last conversation was almost too much.

The one week of her new life were quite the revelations to a plethora of things that Gothel kept hidden away from her; Men, whom she had unfairly judged before ever meeting one. The human male was beautiful, strong, hard, and she wished she could touch them; their muscles, their calloused hands, the hair on their face. But that was "improper" someone had said. But women on the other hand, she could touch with little consequence, although apparently it wasn't "proper" to do all the things she may have wished either. As she had suddenly found out she had been baptized as an infant and subjected to God.

She wished she had a choice in that matter, but it was something she pushed into the back of her mind at that moment. Since it seemed Elsa cared little for "proper", judging by the tone of her voice and the way her body called to her.

So she knocked, and the Empress said "come in and lock the door behind you." Rapunzel did just that, her foot moving on her tiptoes, but then her eyes stopped. Widening and focusing on Elsa.

Or rather, Elsa's legs.

She laid on her bed, a book in her hand, and nothing but a short blue nightgown made from her own magic. But Rapunzel's eyes were still mesmerized by the Empress' bare legs.

"Princess Rapunze,l please," Elsa scolded, her smile wide. "It's like you've never seen legs before."

"I'm sor...Your Majesty, if you bare them for all to see, especially me, then I'm going to look," she marveled, with bitten lips. Elsa laughed, the forwardness of the princess somewhat surprising, but not unwelcome.

"Come, sit," the monarch commanded as she straightened up, putting her book on a pillow and looking at Rapunzel with a rapacious grin. "Princess, forgive me my bluntness, but you truly are one of the wonders of this Earth." Elsa reached out and squeezed both the girl's cheeks, with Rapunzel's head looking like a squashed tomato. "I do feel a bit selfish for taking you with me," she confided, letting go of the girl.

Rapunzel shook her head and said "I made this choice, I've been in one place all my life, I want to explore the world." She grabbed Elsa's cold hands, her touch a pleasant breeze to her skin. "You are my High Queen, my Empress. I will follow you Elsa, if you'll have me." Elsa was completely caught off guard by the girl's words, unable to control the blood rushing to her face.

"Oh...I-" Elsa stammered, but was stopped as Princess reached out and gave her a brief kiss, her warm lips a passing feeling. Rapunzel smiled at her, as if a child that had just committed a prank that knew there would be little to no consequence. "I was wrong about you..." Elsa said, the blush still heavy on her cheeks. "You're not as pure as I thought you were."

"In the tower...Gothel had a lot of books hidden, they were her own private collection."

"Let me take a guess at the content in these books, shameless smut?"

"Female...on female, if we want to go into details," Rapunzel said, whispering lowly. Elsa couldn't help but to laugh again.

"Come, Rapunzel, I did say we were gonna do each other's hair," Elsa said as the princess moved in behind her, feeling the girl's chest upon her back as Rapunzel's fingers intertwined with her hair. The girl flattened Elsa's spiky locks, and then began combing her.

"What book were you reading?" Rapunzel asked, her free hand holding the Empress' bare shoulder.

"_The Monster of Notredame, _by Marshall Phoebus de Châteaupers."

"Oh! I have that one! It's a fascinating story! A bit tragic at first, but ends great," she said as she finally combed Elsa's hair down to her neck, putting the brush down and beganthe process of braiding it.

"It's more than a story, it actually happened a few centuries ago in Paris," Elsa stated, very much enjoying the feeling of her hair being played with. When her thoughts were of melancholy, Elsa dreamed of missed opportunities growing up and having girl parties. Where one could gossip, do each other's hair and makeup. Worse of all is that she deprived it of Anna as well, since no one had been allowed in the castle during their youth.

But, there was more than enough time to make up for it. Even if the innocence of such events are fleeting, her desire to defile the poor girl festering.

"It really happened? The story seemed to fantastic, and the moral..."

"What moral did the story of the Hunchback express, dear?" Elsa asked.

"What makes a monster and what makes a man? The monster not the deformed hero, but Judge Claude Frollo."

"Indeed," Elsa said, monsters and men going through her own mind. "There are monsters in this world, Rapunzel, and they have the face of humans. And there are people in this world who are righteous, loving individuals, with the imperfection of mortality present. And they were not human," Elsa said lugubriously, her eyes unfocused, her mind far, but Rapunzel's hands came onto her waist, bringing her back.

"And can someone be both a monster and man?" Rapunzel asked, hugging the Empress tight.

"Most definitely. In this world, you'll find the most terrible darkness adumbrated in the brightest of lights, and the warmest light locked away in the darkest of shadows..." Elsa's hands glided over Rapunzel's, picking one up and kissing the fingers. "But enough of this somber topic." Rapunzel didn't inquire what she meant, even if her mind was racked with curiosity. Instead she focused on the small, almost hidden, freckles on Elsa's cheeks.

"Can I kiss your freckles?" she asked, but did so regardless of her lack of permission, kissing the Empress on her cheek repeatedly. Despite the good company, Elsa's attention shifted from the Princess' touches and back to thoughts of her past.

The question plagued her still; what makes a monster and what makes a woman?

* * *

Elsa slowly came to, her arms feeling stretched, pained and with large headache plaguing her. The smell of cooking meat, and vegetables hit Elsa's nostrils.

"Oh good, I guess the smell of chow woke you," a gruff female voice said. Elsa's eyes finally adjusted and she tried to move her arms, but they were chained to the wall.

"Wha-what! Unhand me foul beast!" she shouted, her eyes narrowing but still scarcely believing at the individual before her. What she thought was a statue, the winged demonic woman, was currently stirring the crock-pot. Out of the stone, her skin was grey, but not dull.

"Ha! How about you break yourself out, Elsa Agdardottir? Like you said, you're not defenseless," she countered back, not taking her eyes off the pot. "Oh and sorry I drooled on you, I usually wake up salivating."

Elsa's chest began expanding in further terror as the situation of being chained in a monster's dungeon started getting to her. She closed her eyes, and cast her magic around her arms and chains, making them brittle and causing them to break. While freed, she fell to the floor, scraping her knees. "See, you can rescue yourself just fine. That was lesson one," the monster stated, turning her head slightly towards Elsa.

The princess got up, her hands glowing in warning as they pointed towards the woman. "S-stay back!" she shouted, her voice shaky with fear.

"I haven't moved," she responded casually before adding, "and put those down before you hurt yourself."

"I'm warning you!" Her arms glowed with more intensity, ready to explode with magic. The woman finally stopped stirring and turned towards Elsa, her face anything but amused. At that point, a short beam of ice shot from Elsa accidentally.

The demon woman smacked the projectile away, hitting one of the Viking statues and freezing its head. She took one step forward and said "Let's try that again. You're a princess of noble prestige, how about you act well-mannered and introduce yourself with grace," she commanded, her figure imposing, even from that distance. Elsa, still in a defensive state, her arms up, held her magic back. "Well?"

"...I'm...I'm Princess Elsa of Arendelle, daughter of King Agdar, and heir to the throne. Pleas-pleased to make your acquaintance." Elsa chose, for obvious reason, not to give a courtesy.

"I have been given many names and titles by humans if you care for such things. We'll go with Urth, at your service," she announced, giving Elsa a slight bow. "I have been asked by some old friends to be your trainer, Elsa Agdardottir."

"So...you're my trainer...wait! Urth? As in the goddess Urth?" she asked, remembering her study of the old Nordic pantheon. Urth, as described in myth, was one of three guardians of fate, whose job was to maintain destiny itself.

The woman laughed, scoffing at the word goddess. "Goddess, bah! Just a bunch of men who lusted after me and couldn't stop writing. No princess, I'm no goddess, just a very a old woman," she said, turning her attention back to her pot. "Please sit, breakfast is almost ready, although it's dinner for you I'm guessing." Elsa wasn't quite ready to sit yet, but she did relax her posture, holding her arm.

"What...what are you?" She asked, hoping she didn't sound rude.

"Oh poor child, you must think I'm a demon, it's always the same with Christians and Jews," she said with a light laugh. "If you wish to describe me with a label, you can use Gargoyle."

"Gar-goyle?" And then Elsa's mind ventured back into her books, specifically one called _Lord and Ladies of the Night, _written by King Macbeth of Scotland. Most thought it was the ramblings of a madman, whom in the book describes himself allying with a "Gargoyle women". But that story was fake, just like stories about rock trolls and ice witches. No, magic has always been evident in this world. Rock trolls, dwarves, dragons and mages were all but a few of thing that people understood little but were nonetheless recorded in history.

A creature that turns to stone by day is hardly a stretch. Not when Elsa herself was a myth, which bought her back to the situation at hand.

"You're the one that the Rock Trolls sent me too?" she asked. It was redundant, but she needed to be sure.

"Yes girl, I've known Pabbie and his people for a few centuries. We have a similar...physiology," she said. "I'm good with the Sami folks as well."

"The Sami and the trolls know, but not its monarchy?" Elsa asked with concealed anger.

"The monarchy knows, just not you...girl," Urth spat back, causing Elsa to recoil slightly. "Norse..." She heard Urth murmur.

Elsa finally planted her rear on a nearby chair, her eyes still staring at nothing, and then back to Urth, and then nothing again. She was given a bowl of stew, and realized she had the woman towering over her. Her wings were closed in around her, like if she wearing a robe and her hair was braided into a top knot now. Elsa barely let people get so close, much less non-humans. But Urth turned back before Elsa had a chance to react, grabbing a bowl for herself.

Seeing her eat, with a spoon, like a person, erased the initial image of she-beast Elsa had conjured. The Princess was still afraid to approach, but the inhumane nature wasn't a factor any longer. "Beautiful huh? Nice craftsmanship?" Urth suddenly teased, shaking Elsa from her thoughts.

"You...you heard that?" Elsa asked, her cheeks blushing.

"If you want to touch my legs again, all you have to do is ask." She smiled, her teeth flaring in a predatory manner.

"That's quite alright!" Elsa said awkwardly, looking back at her food.

"When you're done, meet me outside, your training starts now," Urth said, grabbing a lantern and leaving her ruins. Elsa quickly devoured her food and walked outside with a quickness. The wind was lower now, but night had descended completely, Urth stared at the distant snow fields. The sounds of Elsa's boots hitting snow did not grab the woman's attention, but she began to speak "The long nights are coming soon..." she mumbled. The beast then quickly turned her body and jumped right in front of Elsa, who fell back into the snow in fright. Urth bent down, lantern still in hand and spoke to Elsa's face. "And that means you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together!" she sneered, her monstrous grin unlike anything Elsa's seen before.

Urth straightened her back again, her smile dropping as she stared down at the frightened Elsa coldly. "You are a scared little girl, unfit to wield the power you hold." Her words and look of utter contempt stung Elsa dearly. Nobody had ever talked to her like that before, she was about to shed tears. "If you're gonna cry, you can go back home now. Otherwise, follow me." She turned, walking away into the freezing, white landscape.

Elsa wiped some of her tears away and followed suit.

"How...how are you withstanding this temperature?" Elsa asked, as she reached and stayed behind Urth.

"Magic, alchemy, and the fact that Gargoyles are made from studier stuff than humans," she replied as they reached a woodland of leafless trees, their usual nature of blocking the skies and landscape hindered. "But you're immune to cold, aren't you Elsa Agdardottir?"

"Yes...and why are you using old Nordic naming conventions?" She asked curiously as they reached a large clearing, giving them several meters of free space with no trees.

"I saw the rise and fall of Vikings, child, how their fleets plundered and pillaged anything they could. Giving old and fat Kings a reckoning which they never could comprehend. I saw them convert to the religion of the Romans, but their souls still crying for war. I saw the King of Arendelle hold the throne of England. I've seen it all..." she said, turning her unflinching eyes back to Elsa "And you are Agdardottir, unless your mother shacked it up with someone else," she insulted, stopping and turning to face Elsa.

"That-! That is not appropriate, they-" Elsa screamed back, but Urth cut her off.

"Departed from this world, I know. But please do get angry, we'll need that," the woman replied with little care and put the lantern down. "Now..." she said, her wings stretching and her two fangs glaring."Let's see your powers!"

"What? But I might hurt you!"

Urth moved her hand, a blue barrier appearing around her momentarily, before disappearing again. "No you won't. Now shoot," she demanded.

"No!" Elsa refused, stepping away and running off. But the winged woman jumped again, her legs rocketing her body and gliding before Elsa, crashing into the snow before.

"Stay away!" She instinctively raised her hands forward, shooting out a beam of ice.

Elsa didn't look, only hearing the sounds of her magic hitting something. She crawled away as heavy icy wind swirled around her, backing away into a tree. "Oh...no!" She couldn't see, but she feared the worst as she rose to her feet. "Oh no, no no no!" Elsa ran towards where Urth was. _I froze someone, I killed someone._

She ran, and hit something hard, falling back into the snow.

"What is wrong with you?" the beastly voice called, a rough hand grabbing Elsa by her arm and forcing her back on her feet. Urth looked at her with an annoyed expression, stepping back a bit. The wind quickly died down after this.

"You...you're unharmed?" Elsa stammered, staring at the woman's body for any signs of damage.

"Shields, girl," she said, her finger snapping and the blue barrier reappearing momentarily. "They harden in response to physical trauma_."_ The barrier disappeared, or rather, became invisible again. "You can't hurt me. Not as you right now." She moved back to the clearing, Elsa taking a moment to follow her.

"But..." Elsa began sayings, thoughts of the curse racing through her. But Urth knew the topic before it left her mouth.

"I have long since been immune to malignant enchantments; be it sleeping, animal or freezing curses," she revealed, empathizing the last one as she turned towards Elsa again. "I can withstand anything you dish out. Remove your fear of hurting me, for it is unnecessary." She closed her wings around her, draping them over her body like a cloak.

"Now, again!" And that word was repeated for several hours.

"Again!" Urth barked as Elsa fired another beam of ice, freezing over a dead tree. "Again!" she repeated, another dead tree suffering Elsa's forced wrath. "Again!" This time, a whole tree shattered at the weight of her magic, breaking into little pieces of ice. Elsa faltered, nearly falling, her exhausting use of magic having spent her considerably.

Hours and hours of the same thing, freezing trees and rocks with no break, _and with little purpose,_ thought Elsa. She heard Urth grunt, maybe in annoyance, maybe in disappointment.

"It's food time, head back to the ruin and rest up. I'm gonna go hunt for a stag, or a walrus," she said as she began climbing a frozen tree. Elsa watched in amazement as she squatted, jumped with outstretched wings and glided away. But Elsa never responded, her voice taken from her from this magical exercise, replaced with short breaths and groaning. She walked slowly, making her way back to the ruins.

She thought a slow walk would help her against the exhaustion, but she was wrong. Her body fell again to the snow with a large thump.

* * *

For the second time, she woke up in the ruins, although there were no bindings on her, just a warm blanket. Elsa slowly pushed herself off the fur roll she had been nestled in. There was cold plate of meat near her, which still managed to seem appetizing to her.

She walked, still tired, still hungry and now slightly angry at the beast. She met Urth's stone cold glare with her own, and would have screamed at her, if she was sure the woman could hear.

Instead, only the statue stood there, lifeless to the eye and misplaced among these ruins. It was dawn then, and a question Elsa contemplated. To leave now? Go back to the comfort gilded halls of Arendelle? Forget this nightmare ever happened? Renounce her own magic and continue doing her best to protect others from herself.

But the Gargoyle, it scolded her, even asleep. Her gaze shot through Elsa, disappointment and frustration was all she felt. And then Elsa remembered a very important word, and the reason she was here at all.

Anna.

For what purpose would she put herself through this? For a chance to be with her sister again, for a chance to touch her, hug her. And if as a result of that, she can learn to not push others away, to bring them to her and show them the love she has deep inside her heart.

Then this was worth it, it was all worth it.

With a calm breath, she followed the call of her innards and ate the cold meat left for her.

There was a few short naps, since Elsa knew she would have to learn to become a diurnal sleeper. But as dusk neared, she couldn't hold her terrible apprehension as she sat and stared at Urth. She would awaken soon, and this time Elsa would not miss it.

Like a child, the Princess nearly screeched as cracks began forming on Urth's skin. With the sounds of stone ruptures, the arms were the first to break free. In the next few seconds her entire shell fell, with an audible roar, as the woman underneath was free.

"You know, a few minutes before I'm out..." she said, walking with a large yawn. "I'm aware of all that happens in my presence. Including your mumbling."

"Oh my-uh...my apologies," Elsa said politely as she got up.

"No that's fine, I like nervous cute girls like you..." she suggested in a devilish tone as she walked towards her dried meat rack. Elsa shuddered in fear at the woman's tone, observing her move. But she had to admit, Urth was pretty, especially her human like parts. Now that Elsa was over the shock of meeting such a being, she had time to observe her. Urth had an appealing face with feminine eyelashes and full lips. The horns didn't take away from it at all, in fact, perhaps they could add to it. And her body had curves, curves in the right places. Her legs were long and muscled, toned like a female warrior of old. The tail made it hard to see at times, but her rear had a nice amount of mass to it.

"Stop staring at my ass, and help me with breakfast, girl. And try not to faint again."

* * *

"Now, we are going to do a little ritual. If you go through with it, we'll be on the right path," Urth explained as they walked towards the shoreline, the Arctic Ocean as relentless as it always was. Elsa's boots neared the water and the peculiar smell of sea salt was upon her. It almost reminded her of home.

Urth began talking, her harsh tone breaking Elsa from her homesickness "Now listen to me very carefully. Do not argue, do not question, do not ask why. You will obey, or I will throw you in the water anyways," she threatened, her look as severe as an executioner on the gallows. She gave the command, but it took Elsa quite a few seconds to comprehend it. "Strip!"

"W-what?"

"Strip. Take off your clothes and walk into the water. Do not freeze it, let the winter take you," she again commanded, the meaning of the last sentence lost on Elsa.

"I can't! That's-" Immoral and unchristian of course, not fitting of a proper lady or future Queen. And the monstrous woman that stared at her making such lewd comments. She very much did not want to take off her clothes.

"How can you face your inner demons if you're afraid of your own skin? I'm losing my patience Princess!" she spat, sneering her title with unsubtle sarcasm. "Strip!"

Elsa, hesitantly and slowly slid off her overcoat, letting it fall behind her and leaving her in only her heavy wool dress. Urth stared, intently, but with no lust at that time as Elsa began to take off her dress. She held back her tears, stiffening her own sobs as she shed her dress. Elsa wasn't cold, Elsa could never be cold, but she put her arms around herself like if she was as she was in nothing but her white corset and bloomers. She turned her crying head to Urth, shaking it and pleading. The winged woman simply stared back angrily, her scowl showing her teeth.

Elsa, with inner protests, undid her corset, releasing her chest from its constraints and letting her small breasts fall free. With a heavy drawn out breath, she pulled down her bloomers, letting the subzero air caress her naked body. The monster pointed her hand at the ocean.

And Elsa walked, slowly in a pace akin to her execution, her toes coming upon the water, shivering even though she wasn't cold. Once the water reached her knees, Urth shouted and commanded her to stop.

"Your skin lies naked upon the world, winter on your back. Feel the wind upon you Elsa! Let it caress you! Let it in you!" Urth's voice, no longer stern, was almost begging now, shouting for whatever arbitrary thing she demanded Elsa to feel. "Think of what you fear most and let it take you!"

She didn't know why, but Urth's words had the intended side effect. Her vision blurred, everything froze as large ice pillars rose around her. Elsa's body was forced on all fours, as she herself was ascended by a platform of ice. _What is this? Why can't my body move? _She raised her head as the pillars settled, with the vision of an icy hell before her.

Across from her, she was looking at herself, sitting on a throne of ice. The Queen of Snow stared back with dead eyes, and something that wasn't quite a smile or a frown, but all the more horrifying. Even more terrifying still was the objects that stood upon the other pillars. Every person she's loved and cared for stood frozen in ice, their faces screaming anguish and horror.

The Snow Queen stood up from her throne, her movements as stale and autonomous as an undead, and walked slowly towards Elsa. She descended from her pillar, her feet moving on air, the concept of solid ground not existent. "Stay back!" Elsa screamed, finally pushing herself off the ground and turning around in her pillar. But she had nowhere to go.

Panicking, she turned around again and was faced with the Snow Queen. Her dead eyes locked on Elsa's own, and lifted something she was carrying in her hands. Elsa screeched loudly as Anna's severed and frozen head was displayed to her face. The Snow Queen let the head go and opened her mouth, her jaw unhinging and the entire thing becoming monstrous. A beastly shriek echoed, drowning out Elsa's own screams.

She found herself staring the shallow shore, or rather the now frozen shallow shore. Ice had covered the water for several meters, her powers having unleashed again. Elsa breathed hard, her consciousness almost leaving her, but she refused to fall again. Urth's footsteps hit the ice, she could hear them coming. "Fear…" Her head dropped, where her lips nearly met Elsa's ear.

"Fear…is the mind killer, Elsa. Fear will consume you, destroy you, your kingdom and your precious surviving family. You can't move forward until you conquer it." Her voice wasn't soothing, but the anger was gone and a sort of understanding took its place. "Leave it behind," she said, walking away and leaving Elsa alone again. She laid there, her breaths shallow, her chest moving, her thoughts muddled.

It took a while for Elsa to get up again, and as she turned she saw that Urth gone, as were her clothes.

* * *

**A/N: Gargoyle, as in from Disney's Gargoyles**

**Betaread by penversuswords**


	5. Olaf the Bluebeard

Despite the sinful touching, and lightest of kisses, there was no culmination of their vices that night. Rapunzel happily fell asleep on Elsa's lap, and their clothes had stayed on. The Empress happily intermingled her fingers in the princess' hair, her brown locks soothing to the touch.

Rapunzel had tied Elsa's short hair into small braids, they talked some more and kissed briefly. Afterwards, the girl became putty in Elsa's lap. She carefully moved Rapunzel's head and laid it on her pillow. With a small breath she left her cabin, and another motion of her hands changed her dress into something more proper, with less leg to show.

"Fitzherbert," Elsa called, spotting the thief as she stepped onto the deck. The man looked at her worriedly for a moment before he turned his smile on.

"Empress, up late?" he asked, folding his hands behind his back as she approached him.

"The young princess and I were conversing until late, she's asleep in my cabin, I can't very well wake her now," the Empress said, smiling "I can always sleep in Arendelle.

"Rapunzel...is she alright?" He asked, almost hesitantly. Elsa's right eyebrow rose, as she gave the young man a most peculiar look.

"You're fond of her aren't you?" she asked. Eugene turned away, trying to hide the answer from Elsa. "It's hard not to be," she answered for him.

"It really isn't," he replied, looking far off. "But...if you've claimed her. And I would find no problem with that by the way. Then..."

"Claim her? She is not something to be claimed. And assuming you think of me as that kind of woman," Elsa said, faking being offended. "I'm not so selfish as to hoard her for myself."

"Oh well...I-"

"You're free to court her, if that is so your desire Mr. Fitzerbert," Elsa said, then added "You're free to court me if you want too, you'll be one of many, but still one." She smiled seductively at Eugene, his surprised face nearly falling.

"I'm just a thief, a commoner, a handsome commoner, but still a commoner." Eugene's words seem to be a stab at himself more than anything, Elsa picked up on that as soon as he said it.

"Oh, titles are born from much worse sins than stealing, dear. I've grown to hate how the incompetent monarchies hold so much sway over their people."

"That explains a few things, about you conquering stuff...and things...although...if you don't mind me asking. I don't want to sound like I'm committing treason now or anything?"

"I promise you I won't hang you for simple words," Elsa said, smiling at the young thief.

"Do you trust yourself with power? Political and...magical?" He asked. Elsa's smile dropped, as she looked away. The question was disarming.

"No, not particularly."

* * *

Urth cocked her head to the side as Elsa angrily strode in, smirking at the sight.

"I can see what the purpose of leaving me in the nude was, it was still very rude," Elsa said, controlled annoyance in her voice. She used her magic to make her own clothes, woven from ice itself. Wrapped around her body was a deep blue jacket, and a long lighter blue skirt, with heavy boots.

"I was expecting you to make something crude...but that's actually pretty good," the beast woman replied, her hands stirring her crockpot.

"Where are my clothes?" Elsa asked with clenched teeth, approaching Urth.

"I burned them."

"You...what?"

"They were dirty and stained, what you're wearing looks much better." Urth took the spoon out, pressing it against her lips and sampling it. "Hmmn, you ever had Walrus before?"

Elsa stood there, eyes widened and mouth open. "You..." she said lowly, the anger in her voice no longer being contained. "You are the most rude, uncouth, vile person I have seen! How dare you treat me this way?! who do you think you are?!" Her finger was pointing at Urth's face, but the woman wasn't looking back at her, but to her feet. Elsa looked down as well as the area around her was covered in frost. She made a startled jump, closing her eyes, slowly retracting the ice she made until it was no more. Calming herself, she took a few steps back, breathing heavily. "My apologies, that was unworthy of me," she said somberly, sitting down on one the chairs with her hands on her face.

"That's good, have all the outbursts you want now, instead of later, where you can hurt people." Urth took another sip "Still needs a few minutes." She put the spoon down, walking over to her guitar. "You had a tough day, training's suspended for the night," she said, sitting down and plucking at the strings of the instrument, tuning it.

_A tough day? _Elsa thought, it was the understatement of the century. She was still unsure of what to make of that vision in the water, it haunted her. The sight of her sister's severed head being held by some kind of alternate form of hers was something she would never forget. But she was taken from her thoughts as Urth began playing. Elsa's ears twitched at the tune, Urth was skilled, her hands moved like a breeze through the strings, bringing the sounds she wished. An acoustic little tune played, but Elsa was taken back when Urth began singing.

_Olaf the Bluebeard_

_Witch King of Old_

_He fought, and he sneered_

_He bought terrible cold_

"Olaf the Bluebeard?" Elsa asked herself lowly. _She can't mean...Olaf, first King of Arendelle? _Elsa remembered the history of her family. Olaf was made King in a mead hall in the fjord and then led a small army across the sea to Scotland. _He bought terrible cold? Surely she can't mean…_

_With men and with steel_

_King Olaf he came_

_a princess to steal_

_and a bride to claim_

Urth continued singing, as Elsa's mind scrambled to unravel the lyrics. He invaded the petty kingdom of Dunbroch in Scotland; the romantics think it's because of Princess Merida, whom he sailed across the sea just for her beauty. Most think he just wanted land, like all Viking raiders of the time.

_Dunbrouch he fought_

_and Dunbrouch he froze_

_the princess he sought_

_Put an arrow through his nose_

The armies of Dunbroch routed his own, but he turned his army of Norsemen south and invaded parts of Mercia, leaving behind some of his warriors to build long term settlements. He then left back for Arendelle where he spent the rest of his life. She had never heard of any account of Princess Meridia actually having wounded King Olaf, despite her legendary arching skills. But then there was this one depiction Elsa once saw with a scar across his nose.

But the verse_ He froze, _she did not like the implications of it. Urth's voice grew higher.

_When Valhalla would call_

_To Valhalla he'd ride_

_But closed were their halls_

_For his time was not nigh_

"Pagan nonsense," Elsa said to herself. The tempo of Urth's voice slowed as she said the last lines of the song.

_Olaf the Bluebeard_

_Witch King of Old_

_At home was he cheered_

_But his heartbreak stood cold_

"That song…" Elsa said as Urth put her guitar down.

"Just something they used to sing in taverns," Urth said, walking back to her crock-pot.

* * *

The week went by and her sleeping schedule adjusted to a nocturnal one, resting more or less after Urth would enter her own hibernation. The tasks were grueling and tiresome, Urth was not a merciful trainer. She pushed Elsa harder and harder every day.

She could barely push herself off the ground, grunting and panting as Urth stood over. "A weak body is a weak mind," she said, putting her inhuman foot on Elsa's back and pushing her down. "Give me one push up, princess. How can you be a Queen? To be the sovereign of your people if you can't even lift yourself off the ground?" She took her foot off, letting Elsa try and push her body. "Physical fitness is as important as having mastery over your powers." She lowered her lips next to Elsa's ear and whispered "plus, it'll make you look good." Elsa immediately pushed herself off the ground, managing one pushup. "Good! Maybe eventually you'll be able to do more than one whole rep!" she spat sarcastically, egging Elsa further as she pushed herself up.

"I've seen my guards do this as a drill, but they call it the floor dip," she said as Urth began walking away.

"Floor dip, push up, doesn't matter. I think push up will catch on more," Urth said, stopping and examining the land around her. More snow had fallen and winter had come, as evidenced by Urth's breath. Though the coldness of the Arctic wasn't bothering Elsa, even she was finding it a bit too much and boring, just basically one singular color throughout. Elsa hadn't bothered changing out of her new clothes, they felt as natural as her skin. "Run four laps around that rock formation," Urth ordered, pointing to a large boulder a few meters away.

"Wait, I've been holding questions for a whole week. You seem to know a lot about my lineage. That song...was King Olaf truly like me?" she asked, staring at her right hand.

"Go and run those laps, princess."

"When I come back, I want answers," Elsa said as she began a slow jog, still glaring at Urth before she turned her head and began her run. Urth watched as the royal struggled to keep the pace, but not even the most hardened Sami hunters were able to maintain even a slow run at that temperature, which she was sure was already under the negatives. Elsa ran, awkwardly, but she didn't stop. She completed her four laps and came jogging back, panting, and bending over to catch her breath.

"You're familiar with the figure Gudrød in your history?" Urth began, walking away from Elsa once more as she followed suit, still exhausted and breathing hard.

"Yes, the giant-slayer, and according to legends, King Olaf's father. But that's regarded as pseudo history...I suppose you're going to tell me it's all real?"

"Does history ever say who Olaf's mother was?" Urth asked, curiously as she turned to Elsa.

"No..."

"Which makes 'giant-slayer' all the more funny to me. What do you know of the the Jotunn?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and asking once more "What do you know of...frost giants?"

"Nordic myths, hulking brutes of incredible power that had mastery over ice and snow..." Elsa said lowly, afraid of what major revelation was coming to pass.

"To be fair, they were only a bit more than two meters tall." Elsa stared up at Urth, since the beastly woman herself was around two meters tall. Elsa was short compared to her, but it was not an abnormal or unusual height for humans. "But yes, scared people would call them giants I suppose." The gargoyle picked up a handful of snow in her hand, staring at it intently. "Once this whole land, from here to England, the entire arctic was covered in ice. But the world shifted and the ice turned to water. By the eighth century the Frost Giants were little in number and their extinction was secured...at least the pure bred." She dropped the snow and looked at Elsa. "There was this woman, Fenja, a powerful frost giant that was causing your ancestors problems." She sat down on a small boulder, recounting to Elsa " Before the founding of Arendelle, in the collection of huts and houses in your fjord, Gudrød emerged, a hunter, a warrior, and decided to challenge her. Or risk his people dying of cold and starvation." Elsa stood in front of the beast woman, staring at her intently. "He climbed the North Mountain and broke into her fortress, and fought her for three whole days. He proved victorious."

"But how could one Norseman beat a frost giant?"

"He may have had a magic axe, the details about that are sketchy, but let me finish. Despite his victory, he did not end her, but instead bought her back in chains to the mead hall which would one day become Arendelle," Urth said, standing to walk again "Things led to another, and they were married. She gave him four sons and a daughter, all healthy. Giant slayer not, but perhaps in bed he was." Elsa stepped back, wanting to refuse to believe what she was saying. "One of the sons came out a blonde, wanna guess which one?"

_Olaf the Bluebeard_

"There's no family curse, no divine punishment. You have your powers because one of your ancestors fucked a frost giant," Urth said, walking towarders h, looking down on her and smiling at her horrid reaction.

"You're lying! This is a curse..."

"It's a gift, and I will teach you how to use it." Urth did not give Elsa time to have an existential crisis again. She moved back and stared at the moon, eyes glowing red, her shadow extending forward. "You will have enemies, magical enemies, be wary." Her shadow rose from the floor, taking and mimicking her form completely, a dark copy of herself staring back at Elsa.

"What is that?"

"A parlor trick, a little something I learned in the Congo," she spoke, but her shadow twitched like a lunatic in a spasm. "It will not hurt you, it's just a shadow. But it's as good a target as any." A silent command echoed through the air and the shadow launched itself at Elsa.

"Ah!" Elsa shouted, shooting a hasty, but controlled shot of ice at it. The projectile broke through the shadow's skin, tearing it and leaving it stunned. But it quickly reformed and launched again at Elsa, who tried to shoot it. But it's body outstretched, it avoided Elsa's magic and entangled itself around her, binding the princess.. Elsa's scream was muffled as the shadowy mass constricted around her chest, squeezing her. The shadow's head looked at Elsa's eyes, screeching as it opened it's mouth and let a long tongue out.

Elsa had enough and released her power, sharp icicles emerging from her body and throwing the shadow back. She quickly retracted the ice around her, breathing heavily and hugging her body in further exhaustion. The shadow scurried back and placed itself back where it was supposed to be, as Urth's shadow. "Very good, you have to think quickly with these situations. You're not invincible after all." Her eyes still glew crimson when she smiled at Elsa, her predatory leering bothering her a little less. "Now...again!" Her shadow moved once more, centering itself and splitting into three more shadows.

Elsa groaned loudly.

* * *

"Not sure if you personally care for such things, but I'm sure as future Queen you'd like to know what's going on outside?" As the weeks came by, Urth's earlier words came to pass. Winter had come and the long nights were here. Thanks to a lack of sun for most of the day, her dormant period was much less now, being able to walk around almost all day.

Elsa had been cooking dinner when the gargoyle had gone outside to hunt, coming back with a stag over her shoulder. "Huh?"

"That Bonaparte guy is dead, poisoned," Urth said, hanging the stag from a rack. Elsa stopped her stirring of the stew, looking at Urth with wide eyes. Her shocked expression was subdued quickly and went on with her task.

"Oh...that's unfortunate. My prayers to the French people," Elsa said, stirring the pot again. Her thoughts on the French Emperor were conflicted; on one hand he brought stability to France. On the other hand he brought Europe to war and was about to reinstate slavery in Haiti, something Elsa was vehemently against. The Southern Isles and Cimbria had joined France's coalition while Svealand joined the opposite faction. One of Elsa's worries recently was being plunged into the war if her neighbors decided to press on her. But...with the Emperor dead, she could stop thinking that she'd be returning to a war torn Arendelle.

She could never forgive herself if her absence brought suffering to her people.

"He had some good points," Urth said, suddenly ripping off one of the stag's leg. With a large grin, she took the piece and sat down, biting down into it raw. "Sorry, I'm hungry," she said with her mouth full.

"That's alright...you might get sick though."

"I won't."

"…about the late French Emperor. Perhaps he did, but there are things I disagree with his reign. Like his unwillingness to embrace his negro population as equals and not batting an eye to the thousands that have died for his personal ambition. But...he did bring stability to France, and I'm not to fond of the English's troubled diplomacy. But in the end, he was a usurper, who came from only minor nobility. He took the crown and placed it on his head. From where did he get the right to rule?" She spat, stirring the stew harder.

"So? The masses trusted him, and as opposed to what? The divine right to rule? Do you think your mandate comes from God, after everything I just told you?"

"I..."

"And ripping into his character just because he doesn't have as much blue blood as you? Titles and nobility are arbitrary things Elsa, created from conquests and inbreeding. I have little issues when mankind picks someone to make the hard decisions, it's how human society functions. But don't pretend it's divine and never let it go to your head."

"The day I find myself unfit to rule," she began saying, "Is the day I abolish the monarchy," Elsa announced angrily, putting the spoon down. "I am...I am not doing this for my benefit."

"I believe that. And don't get me wrong, ambition is good, you can right many wrongs with your power. And you can fix things. But you can also bring ruin to the world."

"Is that why you're teaching me? So I won't become a...monster?" Elsa asked, her blue eyes wide and looking as if they were about to cry.

"I'm making sure you don't lose control with your powers, but what you do with it afterwards is up to you. Will you go the path of Jafar? Or the path of Kashekhim?" Urth asked. Elsa knew who the vizier was, nearly destroying the old sultanate of Agrabah with his ambition, but Kashekhim?

"Who's Kashekhim?"

"The last king of Atlantis...and no, I'm not that old. This is just lore," Urth said, biting into the leg again.

"I want to be righteous, I want to do good," Elsa said, staring into her own reflection inside the crockpot.

"Then be righteous, don't just say it." There was silence for a while, Elsa not daring to look at the woman.

"Are you going to eat this anyways?" she asked, the stew just about done. "This is the last of the walrus." Urth had down the leg, stripping of all meat.

"Oh, yeah sure," Urth said, throwing the bone behind her. Elsa bought her a bowl of stew and then made one for herself, sitting in a chair opposite from Urth. The gargoyle noticed she was sitting closer, the timid fear less and less. Urth knew that deep down Elsa wanted to talk, to socialize, to let people in...to let people touch her. But she was afraid.

Afraid of hurting and afraid of being hurt in return. It was almost selfless, if it wasn't so stupid.

And her Christian morality on sex and one's own body wasn't helping much either. It would have to go.

"You said earlier you knew that's how human society functioned, how do Gargoyle social units work then?" Elsa asked, looking at Urth in her eyes, something she rarely does.

"Oh," Urth said lowly, putting her small poon back in the bowl. "Eh...well, for one thing, we'll probably go through life never knowing who our parents are. Sometimes monogamous unions formed, but us females tend to fuck more than one male." Elsa nearly spat her food as she said this, causing Urth to smile. "We lay an egg, sometimes two, and then store them until they all hatch. They're then raised communally. Like I said, no real parents, but sometimes it's hard not notice similarities." Urth said, her tone etching barely concealed sadness.

"Is there a...chief, or something of the sort?"

"We live in clans, and there was a clan leader. Most of the time a male, but I've seen clans with female leaders as well. Before we would nest in mountains. Then when humans started building castles, we'd strike a bargain with its lord or king and protect them at night. While also serving as pretty decorations. Like me for instance, I roosted on the longhouses of Norsemen. I was alone though." Which bought another question that had been bothering Elsa.

"Urth...if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

"Not an easy question to answer. I can tell you the date of my birth, four hundred and seventy three, in the city of Constantinople."

_473 A.D? That's more than a millennium!_

"Urth...that's...you're more than one thousa..."

"Stop, don't put an age on this. I was born in that year, but there were stages in life where I didn't age. I spent three hundred years in an island where youth is eternal. Between that and...other things. A number for how old I am is useless," she said, taking another bite of her food. "For a pampered princess, you're not a bad cook."

"Oh...thanks," she answered, rolling her eyes somewhat. Urth gave a small laughter, enjoying the girl's company more and more.

"You know...you're talking more now, when you first got here you barely looked at me. You're also crying less too."

"Not less, at all. You're kind of unpleasant, couple with how scared I was, crying was to be expected," she said, looking at her food and then adding "But...yes, I haven't much talked to anyone in years. I barely exchanged words with my parents at the end..." Elsa's eyes saddened as Urth looked at her with concern, and then put down her bowl.

"Hey, let's do one more activity for the night, then we can read something or play chess." She stood up, and Elsa mimicked quickly.

"More pushups? Or are you going to summon your shadows?"

"No no, this is...more important than that." She stepped closer to Elsa, much to close to Elsa's comfort.

"W-what are you doing?" Elsa asked with fear as Urth slightly extended her right hand forward, causing the young girl to recoil slightly.

"Touch my hand Elsa," Urth commanded.

"No! you'll freeze."

"You need to lose your fear of touching, I told you once not to fear for my health. Now...please Elsa, this is for your benefit." Urd's hand reached further. It was scary, she had claws, long and sharp. But it wasn't why she was scared. Hesitantly, Elsa closed her eyes and reached out slowly. She felt her skin graze with Urth's calloused own, and squeezed.

She opened her eyes and slow began panicking. There was no grimace, or clenched teeth, but as she held on to Urth's hand, she was freezing it. "I'm freezing you!" she shouted, wanting to back away, but the gargoyle held on, despite the heavy frost covering her hand.

"I'm fine, now breathe in and don't let go," she instructed, with Elsa stopping her pulling and closing her eyes again.

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Like the Ninth Circle of Hell," she answered. "There's a reason for this, what happened in the past, who did you hurt?" The question pierced Elsa like a spear through her heart.

"My...my sister. When we were small, we were playing and having fun. She started jumping around on pillars I made and I slipped...and my power surged through her. Cursing her..."

"Yes, the Jottun ice curse, very unpleasant. Go on." Elsa held on, still feeling Urth's frozen skin.

"We...we took her to Pabbie, he replaced her memories and stopped the curse...but every time I look at her," she said, still not opening her eyes, but calmer. "I see her white streak of hair, the legacy of my danger and why I stayed away."

"Let's leave that behind, can you feel my hand?"

"Yes?"

"Concentrate on the warmth, let it surge through you. You do not need to fear the touch of another." Elsa listened, trying hard to follow her instructions. "What happened with your sister was an accident, a lack of caution and balance. Here's the thing about ice curses...actually, here's the thing about any curse, so goes the rules of magic." Urth stepped closer. "An act of true love can stop it, reverse it. Pabbie saw a young girl who couldn't feel what true love is, when at that moment not only could it have stopped the curse without the silly memory wipe, but made her immune to it."

"W-what?" Elsa opened her eyes.

"Sisterly love, the love of parents, of a friend or a lover. Either one of those could have worked. All of you have made a simple problem so much more complicated. Look down Princess," she said as Elsa darted her eyes to their joined hands, with no sign of ice. "Leave your fear behind," she moved their hands upward, intertwining their fingers. "Does it not feel good to touch another again?"

"Yes..." Elsa said, finally feeling their hands together, with no sign of any freezing. "It truly does."

"Even if it is a terrible ugly monster like me?"

"Monster? No. Terrible? Sometimes. Ugly? You're actually quite attractive, you have an...Amazonian look about you." Elsa carefully bought Urth's hand against her cheek, rubbing her knuckles against her skin.

"Aw, thanks! Shall we kiss now?" Elsa immediately let go of her hand, stepping back and glaring.

"I think not!" There was a repressed smile about her, as Urth's own dimples showed.

"And I know I'm beautiful, I was the object of lust for many, in fact, one of your ancestors once drank mead out of my navel. Quite the times they were."

"I'm gonna go clean up now," Elsa said in deadpan, walking away in annoyance. But Elsa stopped, remembering Urth's touch on her hands "Hey...Urth."

"What?"

"Thank you."

* * *

**Betaread by penversusswords**


End file.
